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BEING AN IPPEAL TO THINKING PEOPLE, 



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WITH AN ADDENDA ON THE 



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POTTSVILLE, Pa., 
1887. 



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THE NEIV EARTHr 



POTTSVILLE, Pa., 
1887. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, 

In the year 1887, 

By WM. BRITTLE, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress>. 

At Washington, D. C. 



PREFSCE. 



The necessity for the appearance of this little work, 
arises from the defective knowledge that exists as to 
what the Gospel is. 

The prevailing opinions of Christendom, based on 
meager information upon this subject, serve as a snare 
and leave the mind exposed and liable to be imbued 
by traditions which are almost inbred — to the exclu- 
sion of knowledge acquired by investigation. 

Indeed these traditions are bred in us from the 
cradle, so that 

* * From childhood most have been misled, 
*' So they believed, because they so were bred: 
"The priest continues what the nurse he^an, 
* ' And so the child imposes on the man. 

This nursery teaching made up of tradition is a 
barrier to the scriptural comprehension of the Gospel. 

It is hoped, however, that this pamphlet will be a 
help to thinking people, enabling them to see the un- 
reliable sources of prevailing traditions ; and how 
they conflict with the Gospel of Christ ! 

It is intended to put this pamphlet within the reach 
of all as to price. So that he who reads may know 
what things " God hath prepared for him that waiteth 
for HiM,^^ (Is. 64, 4), for God hath revealed them un- 
to us, (the Apostles, 1 Cor., 2, 9-10). 

That it may assist in making familiar some of the 
revealed things ; and help the reader to discriminate 
between Revealed Truth and tradition is the ob- 
ject of the AUTHOR. 

Mahanoy City, Penna,, U. S. 

CAN BE HAD OF THE AUTHOR. 



THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

NULLIFIED BY TRIDITION. 



This sweeping charge laid at the door of modern 
theology must be dealt with candidly in the fear of 
God. 

For Christ " our judge '^ will surely hold him re- 
sponsible who trifles with such momentous matters. 

The reader, if he finds the charge proven, in the 
FEAK OF God he must abandon modern theology, 
and reform himself upon an apostolic basis of faith 
and must associate with those who ^^ contend earnestly 
for the faith once for all delivered to the Saints,^' — for 
the ^' Gospel is the power of God to Salvation/^ and 
if that Gospel be nullified by tradition, how^ can we 
be saved? 

The above imputation is the same in character as 
Jesus charged to the religious teacher of his day, 
" Making the word of God of none effect through 
your tradition/^ (Mark 7, 13). ^' But in vain they do 
worship me, teaching for doctrines the Command- 
ments of men/^ (Matt. 15, 9.) 

Now, if after 1600 years of corruption of '^ the 
simplicity that is in Christ,'^ (2 Cor. 11, 13), when 
pompous and ritualistic forms of ceremony have dis- 
placed the sober, edifying and simple admonition of 
apostolic days, and when competition in style and fur- 
nishings of Protestant churches, and wire pulling 
among the ministry to secure the best places, we 
n^ednot be surprised to find that the Gospel itself 
has suffered in the hands of those whose system, in 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 5 

doctrine, church building and ritual is '' to please ;'' 
and many votaries of such a system will naturally be 
'' lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God/^ (2 Tim. 
3, 4), as Paul predicted of the *^ last days/^ (see 2 Tim. 

The preaching of brilliant trial sermons by men 
seeking desirable '^ calls ^^ savors of horse dealing, when 
the dealer has to trot out his horse to show his style 
and gait, &c., before the trade is made. So the preacher 
puts forth his best before the audience from whom he 
expects a "callf^ and is this trial for anything else 
but *^ to pleaseV^ Reader, was ever such a state of 
affairs known in apostolic days ? 

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST 

Will be found to consist of theee main elements 
or divisions as follows: 1st — The Forgiveness of 
Sins. 2d— The Gift of Eternal Life. 3d— The In- 
heritance of the Kingdom of God. These are three 
good things that are promised the obedient believer of 
the good news, (Gospel). They include all concomi- 
tant promises and blessings, and the believer will 
realize them in the order given above. 

First — The Forgiveness of Sins is assured to the 
believer at his baptism into Christ for the remission 
of sins, (Acts 2, 38, 1, John 2, 12). Second— The 
righteous go into life eternal, (Matt. 25, 46), when 
they have been approved at the judgment seat. '' In 
the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by 
Jesus Christ,^^ (Comp. Rom. 2, 7 and 16). 

In *^THE END^^ they reap the fruit of everlasting 
life, (Rom. 6, 22). This end is synonymous with the 
''age to come^^^ (see revised version of Luke 18, 30), 
w^hen all who truly follow Christ, '' receive life ever- 



6 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

lasting.'' It is the world, or age to come, when we 
*^LOOK FOR the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto 
Eternal Life, (Judea 21). 

For when Christ who is orR life shall appear, 
THEN shall ye also appear w^ith him in glory, 
(Coll. 3, 4). 

Now this '* glory '' is the glory of immortality or 
eternal life, radiant through all the ransomed and 
forgiven people of God at the appearing of Jesus. 

Third — God's people having been ''forgiven of 
their sins" and glorified with immortality. They are 
prepared for the ^^inheritance of the Saints in light." 

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you 
ABUNDANTLY into the everlasting Kingdom of our 
Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (2 Pet., 1, 11). 

It is to be noticed here, that '* the Kingdom of our 
Lord," is something that '' forgiven " and " glori- 
fied " SAINTS are to '' ENTER INTO." For ''flesh 
and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God," 
(1 Cor., 15, 50). Therefore it has to be changed from 
a state of corruption to incorruption, from mortality 
to immortality, before it is fit for the possession of 
God's Kingdom. The Inheritance of the Kingdom 
of God with its concomitant promises is the ultimate 
PROMISE OF the GOSPEL. Agreeable to this position, 
Paul and Barnabas exhorted the Brethren at Lystra, 
Iconium and Antioch, to continue in the faith, and 
that we must through much tribulation enter the 
Kingdom of God, (Acts, 14, 22). Paul also gloried 
in the " endured ^^ tribulations of the Thessalonians — 
that they may be worthy of the Kingdom of God, 
for which they suffered, (2 Thess., 1, 5). Thus teach- 
ing by clear implication, that when once in the King- 
dom of God they would be past trials and tribulations.'' 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 7 

And (1 Cor., 15, 50), teaches that being inheritors 
of the Kingdom of God we are past the mortal and 
corruptible state. So that it is the Christian's ultimate 
hope and object to find a place therein. 

THE FORGIVEXESS OF SIXS 

Being the first element of the Gospel that is se- 
<3ured to us, it is proper to return to it first and 
-how how it is nullified by Modern Theology. 

The writer is fully aware that theologians give a 
formal and specious declaration of belief in the for- 
giveness of sins. But of what use is such a declara- 
tion in the face of the facts, that the doctrine is nulli- 
fied by their traditions. 

Preachers are equally assertive in proclaiming^^sub- 
stitutional atonement" a?u/ ^' the forgiveness of sins." 
"^'Substitutional atonement" is an hypothetic idea, that 
is completely destructive of \\\q forgiveness of sins. 

To be definite, modern theology is not charged 
with defending one doctrine over the other, but with 
teaching the two; which however are mutually de- 
structive, as will appear. Substitution as applied to 
the atonement, is the idea of one person (Jesus) assu- 
ming the debt, and obligations of others, and paying 
them. This the poets have sung of, thus: *Mesus 
paid it all, all the debt I owe." Another,*^ 'Tis finisheil; 
all the debt is paid ; Justice divine is satisfied." 
Another, '^Our ransom price He fully paid ; in groans 
and tears and blood." And preachers have plentifully 
expressed the same thought in other words, not 
suspecting that they were giving countenance to a 
Pagan idea of an angry God demanding full justice 
for the sins of men. If, '^ all the debt is paid and 
justice divine is satisfied, "where does forgiveness 



8 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

come in ? If a debt is paid in full, how can it all,, 
or any part of it be said to be forgiven ? 

It is true of all transactions, what is paid is not 
forgiven and what is forgiven is not paid. So if 
'' Jesus paid it alP^ there is none to be forgiven. To 
illustrate, if Peter owes Paul a debt he cannot pay» 
and James steps in and pays Peter's debt, Paul could 
not say that he forgave Peter. It is true James re- 
leased Peter of the debt, but Paul forgave nothing. 
He was paid in full. So if Jesus paid all the sin- 
ner's debt, the Father forgave nothing. So we see 
the Word of the eternal God nullified by the tradition 
of substitution. 

For his word declares: '' If thou Lord shouldst mark 
iniquities, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness 
with Thee that thou mayst be feared." (Ps. 130, 3-4. 
The doctrine of the forgiveness of sin inspires us 
with love to the Father, it draws us to him, it binds 
us in love to him from whom forgiveness comes as 
well as to him (Jesus) through w^hom it comes. 

The doctrine works beautifully as shown in the par- 
able to the Pharisee, (Luke 7, 41-43.) The debtor 
forgiven the most, loves the most. If we lose sight 
of FORGIVENESS, we cut asuudcr one of the cords of 
the Father's love, the very cord that gives us a hope 
of eternal life, for if we love not the Father, how can 
w^e be saved? and how and what shall we love him 
for, unless it is because he, the Father, that raised 
up Christ ^^hath forgiven us all trespasses," (CoL 
2, 15). 

The good old doctrine of forgiveness has too broad 
a basis in the Scripture to be surrendered to a tradi- 
tional notion of bartering substituion. 

There is a great deal lost by surrendering forgive- 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 9 

ness. But there is nothing lost by surrendering sub- 
stitution. For the one that rejoices in forgiveness 
holds to the Father and Son. For in looking to the 
Father who forgives, we look also to the Son, for 
ivhose sake the Father forgives us, as it is written, '^be 
ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one 
another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven 
you,^' (Eph. 4, 32). To the Ephesians, Paul gave a 
clear statement of the believer's relationship to the 
Father. Grace be to you and peace from God our 
Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. '^ Blessed 
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christy 
WHO HATH blessed us with all spiritual blessings 
in heavenly places in Christ, (Eph. 1, 2, 3). Thus 
we see all blessings are traced to the Father as the 
source; it is the only correct view of the subject, for 
^' every good gift, and eveiy perfect gift is from 
above, and cometh down from the Father of light,'^ 
(James 1, 17). But they are all nevertheless through 
Christ. '^For it pleased the Father, that in him should 
all fulness dwell,'' (Col. 1, 19). 

There is a feeble attempt made sometimes to 
sustain the notion of substitution by the improper 
and pressed service of the words ^'for us " found in 
certain passages also such as this '" he bore our sins 
in his own body to the tree.'^ '^ Who gave himself 
for us ;/' '' he hath borne our griefs and carried our 
sorrows.'' ^^ Christ died for the unwdlv,'' &c. 

The fallacy of resting the argument for substitu- 
tion upon the words '^for^' and ^^ for us" — will be 
apparent to all who can refer to the ^* analytical con- 
cordance," by Robt. Young, L. I^. D. on the word 
^^for." 

In rendering eighteen different Hebrew words^ 



10 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

translated , ^^for/^ in only one case is the idea of ex- 
change, or '' instead ^^ brought out, viz: Xum. 18, 21 
.and 31, and in that case there is not the remotest alhi- 
sion to the atonement. And in rendering twenty- 
four Greek words translated " for '^ in King James' 
version, none of his definitions convey the idea of 
instead, exchange or in place of. Yet, instead is the 
idea that substitutionists press into the words *'for us.'' 

They wish to convey the idea that Christ died in 
our room and stead. 

But the learned Dr. Young never supports that idea 
in any of his translations from the Greek originals 
of ^^ for." Concerning, about, — from "p^/T,'' In 
behalf of, — from " huper/^ are his translations 
<?overing most all the passages where the word *4br'' 
has any connection with the atonement. 

And as Young did not press the substitute idea as 
the meaning of *^ for;" but left it out, and gave the 
PtEPRESENTATiVE idea, a firm footing in his trans- 
lation, viz : *' in behalf of," the so called orthodox 
reader is left to wrestle with Dr. Young. 

But we draw the conclusion, that as he did not sup- 
port it there is no support for it, and that the New 
and Old Testament contain no passage where the word 
*'for" should be understood as instead, applied to 
Christ's atonement. 

But the word '^ ms^earf." occurs twice in the new 
Testament, (2 Cor.. 5, 20, Philemon 13),Mn both 
places, Young translates it '* in behalf of," and this 
translation is sustained by the Revisers of 1881, as 
follows: ^*\Ve beseech you on behalf of Chvht, be ye 
I'econciled to God." " That in thy behalf he miglit 
minister unto me in the bonds of the Gospel." 
Young's translation. 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 11 

Thus the plea on the word ^' for " is found to ))e 
baseless. 

But representative atonement finds a broad basis in 
the fact that '' for '' is translated ''in behalf of' 103 
times from '' huher '' '' and pere '^ as can be seen in 
Young's Concordance. 

Jesus Christ is styled a Ca7)^am()f Salvation, (Heb. 
2, 10). The first-born amonii; many brethren, (Rom. 
8, 29). A forerunner, (Heb. 6, 20). In these three 
terms as applied to Christ, we find one idea underly- 
ing all, viz : that he is a representative. 

As " Captain '' he represents those under him. As 
the " first-born '^ he is prototyi>e or representative of 
his brethren. As ^' forerunner '' he represents those 
to fjllow. And so with all the ]>assages relating to 
Christ's sufferings and death. They harmonize bet- 
ter with Christ 11^ a rejjresentative than as a substitute. 

Besides a representative would l)e al)le to act in a 
larger field of service than a substitute, fi)r instance, 
we read of Christ being in Heaven. *' Now to ap- 
pear in the presence of God for us," (Heb. 9, 24), 
it would be absurd to say, Christ is a substitute in 
heaven. But that he is a representative there is sus- 
tained by the whole tenor of Scripture — a representa- 
tive ADVOCATE for *^ his body — the church.'' 

Jesus, in his career from the cradle to the sepulchre, 
w^as a representative ** for us," in all that is incident 
to mortality, {exceptinr/ actual ^in). 

His want, his trials and buff'etings, his anguish, 
pain and death, was all ** for us." As a representa- 
tive of humanity, he could not escape the things in- 
cident to it. 

He was a representative of human beings in their 
weak nature. But was strong as to moral rectitude. 



12 , THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

Thus he was '' holy, harmless, undefiled and seperate 
from sinners/^ in his character ; and by his peculiarity 
of moral perfection he was qualified to represent man 
in a his/her state of existence than man has vet at- 
tained to. 

So Jesus teas a representative of man in the flesh 
nature. But xow, a prototype and representative of 
man in the Spirit nature; first, a mortal man, now 
the immortal Son of God in power. 

He being made perfect in obedience by the things 
which he suifered. he became the author of eternal 
Salvation to all that obey him, (Heb. o, 8, 9). 

And because the Father has been pleased in his 
Son's obedience, for Jesus said, '' I do always those 
things that please Him." He has been pleased to 
accept the believer '^ in his beJovecV^ Son, (Eph. 1, 6). 

So that the forgiveness of sins is authorized to be 
preached among all nations, in the name of Jesus, 
(Luke, 24, 47). 

It will be seen that this is done as a matter of love 
between the Father and Son, and through the Son to 
the human family. Thus there is no room for the 
notion of substitutional payment of the sinners debt. 
It is all passed over in love, in love forgiven, in love 
redeemed, ^* for God so loved the world ; " he sent 
his son and with his son gave us all the privilege of 
being justified freely by his (God's) grace ; 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Rom. 
3,24). 

The forgiveness of sins aocnrdino; to the riHies of 
his grace, (Eph. 1, 7). 

Forgiven for Christ sake, (Eph. 4, 32). 

Forgive and ye shall be forgiven, (Luke 6, 37). 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 13 

I write unto you little children because your sins 
are forgiven for his name sake. (1 John 2, 12). 

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, (1 
John. 1, 9). 

Him hath God exalted to give repentance unto 
Israel and foregiveness of sins, (Acts 5, 31). 

That thev (Gentiles) mav receive forgiveness of sins, 
(Acts 26, 18).^ 

Through this name (Jesus) is preached unto you the 
forgiveness of sins, (Acts 13, 38.) These passages 
and many more might he adde<l. They give the 
clear unmistakal)le teaching of the scriptures. 

So now having shown the error of substitution, it 
behooves every honest en(|uirer for truth to respond 
to the ** Love of God.^- Mhich a])]>eals so strongly to 
our sense of the need of mercy and forbearance witli 
erring mortals. GckI commended His Ix>ve toward 
u^, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died 
for us, (Rom. 5, 8), and thereby PvEMoved every 
OBSTACLE and opened ** the tcay,^^ so that God's Love 
could work to our eternal advantage, through Jesus. 
In being justified freely by His grace, (Rom. 3, 24). 
So that they who receive abundance of grace, and of 
the gift oi' righteousness, SHALL reign in life by one 
Jesus Christ, (Rom. 5, 17). 

But now we must look at another phase of the 
subject. The God-appointed method for obtaining the 
forgiveness of sins. 

There are a large majority of church -going people 
who have a rebellious, Saul-like disposition, who, not 
intending to disobey God directly, yet like Saul they 
see something in God's commandment that they think 
is not necessary, and so proceed to change God's 
method into a more agreeable way. 



14 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

And as Saul saved the best of the sheep and the 
oxen for sacrifice to the Lord, instead of killing 
them as commanded to, (1 Sam. 15). So these people 
save their best feelings (and prejudice) against immer- 
sion, by taking a little water on the head or face, 
and improperly call it Baptism. 

These people are generous and of noble character 
and Avould in manv cases do much for '' the cause/^ 
if it would release them from the obligation of out- 
ward open *^ confession of Christ before men in Bap- 
tism (immersion). 

But God^s word is to them, as well as to Saul : 
Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and 
sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? 

Behold, to OBEY is better than sacrifice, and to 
hearken than the fat of rams, (1 Sam. 15, 22); Saul 
was rejected for his modification of God's command- 
ments, and his action is called ^' rebellion ^^ and '^ stub- 
bo7mness/^ V. 23. Take heed that it be not so with 

vou ! 

V 

This same prejudice against immersion existed in 
the minds of the so called higher class in the days of 
Christ, as in this day. The Pharisees and lawyers re- 
jected the counsel of God against themselves, being 
NOT BAPTISED of (John) Him, (Luke 7, 30), [note 
marginal reading]. And the bulk of church going 
people have not been able to bend their proud spirits 
to the Commandment of God, but have chosen rather 
to follow the tradition of the Pope, as will appear 
later on. 

Let all rantists of every shade, and others, notice 
that God has but one method from the beginning of 
the world by which he deals with sins that are to 
be forgiven. 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 15 

Through all the changes of time from Adam till 
the second coming of Christ, the one ceremonial 
idea has been to cover or *' bury '" the sinner, (or the 
evidence of sin). Therefore we find that God did pro- 
vide skins to clothe or cover Adam and his wife> 
(Gen. 3, 22). Previous to sinning they nealed not 
skins of sacrificed animals to cover them. 

And so, under the law, the blood of the sin offer- 
ing was poured out at the bottom of the altar, (Lev. 
4, 18), wliere it was mixed with the ashes and carried 
away, and so covered uj). Under the Law, this idea 
was carried out even in hunting animals. The blood 
of all animals caught by an Israelite required to l)e 
poured u]x>n the ground and covered with dust, (Lev. 
17, 13). It is a notorious fact in all Israel's history,, 
when forgiveness of sin was to be sought, God's 
method re(juired the Jews to clothe or cover them- 
selves with sackcloth and ashes, and confess their sins. 
Agreeable to this, we find that when David had 
sinned in numbering Israel, and was about to seek 
pardon, he and the elders of Israel were clothed m 
sackcloth, (I Chron., 21, 1(5, 17). 

When the Jews were gathered at Jerusalem from 
the captivity of Babylon, they ** were asseml)Ie(l with 
fasting and sackcloth and earth upon them, — and 
confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers^ 
(Neh. 9, 12). Through Isaiah, God called the Jew^ 
to "mourning and to baldness, and girding with 
sackcloth," and because they did not repent, God said. 
*^ surely this iniquity shall not be purged from vou 
till ye die," (Isa. 22, 12, 14). 

Through Jeremiah, God calls to repentance thus, — 
O daughter of my people gird thee with sackcloth^ 



16 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

and wallow thyself in ashes; make thee mourning, as 
for an only son, most bitter lamentations, (Jer. 6, 26). 
Jesus said, Tyre andSidon would have repented, long 
:ago, in sackcloth and ashes, if privileged as Beth- 
saida, (Matt. 11, 21). 

The honored Daniel by this method successfully 
interceded for Israel. He says: *'I set mv face unto 
the Lord God, to seek by j)rayer and supplication, 
with fasting and sackcloth and ashes/' (Dan. 9, 3). 
That his object was forgiveness is most beautifully 
set forth in the last of the passage. O Lord, hear! 
O Lord forgivel O Lord hearken and defer not! for 
thine own sake, O my God! for thy city and tiiy peo- 
ple are called by thy name, V. 19. And so the Nin- 
evites adopted the same method to avoid imminent de- 
struction for their sins. 

So all the people of Xinevah believed God, and 
proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the 
GREATEST of THEM, cvcn to the least of them, 
(Jonah 3, 5, see v. 8). 

And now in passing to the new testament, the pri- 
mary idea is not changed but a more literal and ex- 
pressive form is adopted. Instead of repenting while 
covered with sackcloth and ashes, men are commanded 
to '^ repent and be baptized (buried) for the remission 
•of sins.'' 

Agreeable to this it is written : Blessed are they 
Avhose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are COV- 
JERED, (Rom. 4, 7). Buried with Him, (Jesus) by 
baptism into death, (Rom. 6, 4). Buried with him 
in baptism, (Col. 2, 12). 

The intent, and ceremonial idea of Baptism is es- 
sentially a confession of guilt, for this reason it i> 
called the '' baptism of repentance." Repent and be 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 17 

baptized, was the only authorized way of directing 
men to Christ at Pentecost. And now as all admit 
confession of sin is an essential prerequisite to forgive- 
ness, baptism is an eml)odiment of confession, and so 
it was understcKxl, for the people were '* baptized of 
John in Jordan confessing their sins/' (Matt. 3, 6). 
So the two prerequisites to forgiveness, is confession 
of guilt, and covering of the offenders. 

In immersion onhj are those two ideas to he found. 

The believer having publicly taken that step before 
God and man, God accepts him in Christ and IN 
Christ he is forgiven, so he can say with Paul: 

'*In whom we have redemption through his blood 
the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of 
his GRACE, (Eph. 1. 7). 

And now to all who have nut made this confession 
:ind covering of sin in l)aptism, the (|uestion is asked : 
The baptism of Lhrid, is it of Heaven or is it of men? 
If of men we might dare to change it, but if of 
Heaven, who will dare to change it ? Yet the Poj>e 
has d<)ne it, and the great bulk of church going peo- 
ple a{)prove ol' his method of changing GckFs com- 
mandment, like Saul of old ; and like Saul, all who 
•change and nullify his commands will Ik? rejcx^ted, 
because they trample under foot and dispise the EX- 
PRF^SSION of the prerequisites to forgiveness. 

The following extracts are to the ])oint. '* Bap- 
tism, which as its name indicates, and as it was UNI- 
VERSALLY understood in the early ages, signifies 
a total immersion, was also in the thirteenth century 
gradually l)egan to be exchanged to the totally dif- 
terent rite of Sprinkling." Arthur Penrhyn Stan- 
ley, in Variations in the Roman Church, (Library 
Magazine, pp. 1085, A. D. 1880). Thus the change 



18 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

to Sprinkling is laid to the Romish Church, as will 
appear also in what follows. 

In ZelFs Encyclopedia on the word bai^ism we 
read : ^' In the time of the Apostles the form of Bap- 
tism was very simple. The person to be baptised 
Avas dipped in a river or vessel, with the words which 
Christ had ordered, and to express more fully the 
change of character, generally adopted a new name. 
The Greek Church retained this custom, but the 
Western (Catholic) Church adopted in the 1:3th cen- 
tury the mode of baptism by Sprinkling, which has 
been continued by the Protestants, (the Baptists ex- 
cepted). The introduction of this mode of baptism 
was owing to the great inconvenience which arose from 
the immersion of the wliole body, in the northern 
climate of Euroi)e.'^ 

Again we quote, ^' In early ages, baptism was per- 
formed by immersion, and the place used for the pur- 
pose was a pond or river. But in the middle of the 
3rd century, distinct insulated houses were erected for 
the ceremony. The Baptistry was an octagon or cir- 
cular building covered with a cupola roof, and adja- 
cent to the church, but not forming a part of it. The 
most ancient Baptistry is that of St. Giovanni in Fonte 
at ROME, said to have been erected by Constantine 
the Great,'^ (ZelPs Encyclopedia on Baptistry). From 
the foregoing we see there is in Rome a monument to 
scriptural baptism, telling its silent story in favor of 
immersion since the 3rd century, at the same time it 
is a standing Protp:8T ix Stone against the perfidj- 
and innovation of Papal Catholicism. 

Reader can you indorse the innovation of the Pa- 
pacy when this monument to immersion stands in 
their own city as a witness against them? This i^ a 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 19 

case where "the very stones cry ouf^ for primitive bap- 
tism. This part of the subject will be concluded by 
an observation of human action when under a sense 
of ^uilt. 

Tlierc 'seein> to ba a natural ilesire in vountr and 
old to avoid the consequence of sin; this desire man- 
ifests itself in adopting the most ready method of con- 
cealment. Nature teaches the guilty to hide or cover 
his offence. Man uses earth, iratcr^firc, darkness and 
lies to c:ovKR his sin. But God has appointed but 
ONE method for the believer to cover his sin. To be 
BURIED with Christ in l)aptism, (Coll. 2, 12). God 
from the beginning of the world seems to have recog- 
nized the natural desire to cover sin. For in his first 
provision of animal skins in Pxlen. and in all after 
arrangements, the idea o? covering sin prevails in all. 

This is beautifully set forth in connection with the 
name of Jesus. For l)elievcrs are said to put on 
Christ, (Gal. 3, 27). Putting on anything involves the 
idea of covering. 

The following from Dr. John Thomas is to the 
point. *^ Before entering the l)ath, the truth believed 
has changed their minds, made them ^' dead to Sin'^ 
and '* quickened them with Christ," (Rom. 6. 2 and 
11, Eph. 3, 5), when they are in the bath, they are 
buriei^l with Christ by the immersion " into his death," 
which was for sin. Hence this water burial is their 
investiture with Clirist as with a robe. The burial 
is therefore a clothing or covering over, by w^hich their 
sin-nakedness is metophorically concealed, and they 
are in that situation in which it may be said of them 
in the words of the Spirit. Blessed are they whose 
iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered, 
Rom. 4, 7, Eureka Vol. 2, pp. 3)2). '' But this 



20 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

blessedness came not upon Adam nor upon any of his 
posterity, by garments of their own device. The Lord's 
covering for sin is a *' change of raiment/' '' even 
white raiment/' which he counsels men to buy, that 
they ''may be clothed and that the shame of \heir na- 
kedness, (in sin), do not appear/' (Rev. 3, 18, Elpis 
Israel, pp. 78). Now that it has been shown that 
^^ substitution " nullifies the *^ forgiveness ot sins/' and 
*^ sprinkling" subverts God's method of seeking it. 
It behooves all men to abandon ** substitution " and 
become GoT)-methodists, and followers of Christ in 
Baptism and all that Baptism signifies. 

ETERNAL LIFE 

Is the second main element of the Gospel to be 
considered; its ])lace in the preaching of Christ is in 
the very front, and is the great object to be attained. 

Jesus preached it by commandment from the Father. 
He said, I have not spoken of myself, but my Father 
which sent me ; he gave me a commandment , what I 
should say, and what I should speak, and I know 
that his commandment is life EVERLASTiN(i. 
Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father 
said unto me, so I speak, (Jno. 12, 49, 50). 

Further on in his life we find that he is the one 
authorized to give eternal life as well as to preach it. 
* * * *^Thou hast given him power over all flesh, 
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou 
has given him,^' (Jno. 17, 2). 

Christ having preached this doctrine by command- 
ment, and being authorized to impart it to his people. 
We should be careful not to resist or nullify it, be- 
cause its origin is from the Father, and Christ is its 
foremost preacher. Yet, notwithstanding, its origin 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 21 

and importance, the traditions of the churches nullify 
it completely, so that in their writings and discourses 
the idea of LIFE is extracted from the doctrine. 
This cannot be denied, and this is done, because their 
tradition of *' the immortality of the soul ^' requires 
it. They affirm the souls of all men to be immortal, 
and because it would be an absurdity to offer eternal 
life to ^'immortal souls/' they have resorted to means 
with the intent of destroying the idea of IjIFE from 
Clirist's doctrine. 

By perverting the word " life^' and changing it ;o 
^' happiness ^^ they think Christ's words are absorbed 
and adapted to their traditional 'immortality of the 
soul," but the failure of this j)erversion, will be made 
clear by what foHows: * * <* The son of man is not 
come to destroy mens lives, but to save theniy^ (Luke 
9, 56). These words of Christ arc in answer to the 
apostles, James and John, who wished to consume the 
Samaritans by fire from Heaven. In the answer 
given, it is clear Christ came " to siive men's lives '^ 
in the primary sense of the word. Just as literal as 
the apostles wished to destroy them. ** God sent his 
only begotten son into the world, that we might 
LIVE thro}((]h him/^ (1 Jno. 4, 8). As the living 
Father hath sent me, and I live by tlic father, so he 
that ciiteth me even he shall live by me, (Jno. 6, 57). 

The word live as applied to Christ, Ls in the same 
primary sense applied to the believer; Christ lives hy 
the Father, and the believer is to live by Christ. 
The son of man came * * * to give his life a ransom 
for Many, (Mark 10, 45). ^' He poured out his soul 
(life) unto death." For this is my blood (or life) * * * 
which is shed for manv for the remission of sins, 
(Matt. 26, 28). The bread that I will give is my 



23 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

Hesh^ '• which I will give for the life of the world/' 
(Jno. 6, 51). 

Every one knows that flesh is the product of the 
blood, and that the life is in the bloody (Lev. 17, 11). 
Therefore the sacrifice of flesh and blood is the sacri- 
fice of LIFE, as this was true in Christ's case, as it 
was also with all animals sacrificcxl by the Law of 
Moses, the point is proven that shedding of life is the 
e>-sential feature of all animal sacrifice accepted l)y God. 
It is undeniable that real actual liic was sacrificed for 
man, bv Christ, and if the sacrifice is to be restored 
to life, it must be by some othei' life than that which 
ivas shed, for the life shed upon the o;round is lost, 
or forfeited by the sacrifice. Now it is clear in retcrence 
to a sacrifice, that real life is shed, and it is only new 
real life that restores the sacrifice, and the restoring 
of life is a simple favor. Thus, actual life in its pri- 
mary sense, is the element entering into the atone- 
ment. 

The restoring of the sacrifice must be as real as its 
slaying, and its restored life as real as that which was 
shed. Now if it be shown that the '^eternal life'' of 
the New Testament, is nothintr but the life f/iveii to 
Christ; (Jno. 5, 26. Ps. 21, 4), then it follows 
that actual literal life with all its capability is the thing 
offered us in the promise of ^'eteunal life", real as 
the life given to Christ. Thus all the arrangements in 
connection with type and antitype forbid the twisting 
of the word life, for the word is used the same way in 
the slaying, as in the restoring of tht^ sacrifice, exce})t 
as to the restored ''life", it is qualified n< "endless 
lifer 

Those who venture to displace the word '' life " l)y 
*^ happiness," bring confusion into Christ's work of 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 23 

redemption, and they only show their insecure position 
bv resorting to the changing of simple root ivords, as 
•''^life'^ and '' death/' \Vhat would be thought of a 
dogma necessitatinu: the change of such simple words 
from their world wide root sense, as White, Black, 
Day, Night, Life, Death, Earth, Man, Bad, Good. 
No one would think ot doing it. But a certain tradi' 
Hon of the churches rcijuircs it to be done with the 
words **Life" and ^'Death," so that pure emphatic 
English and J>il)le truth is prevented for traditions 
sake. Paternal life is a conditional giil admittcxi by 
all. The sentence means the same as immortality, one 
affirmative, the other a negative statement of the same 
idea; thus, Eternal Life, is living forever. Im- 
mortality, is NOT LIABLE TO DEATH. This is shown 
plaiidy by a refen'uce to (Rom. 2,7). To them who 
by a patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, 
and honour and immortality, eternal life. \'' Aph- 
Y/ia?v<fia/i" relates to incorruptible bcxly, and ^' zoen^^ 
/xionion relates to the life in siicli a body. 

Thus inuuijrtality is conditional and to be sought for, 
the same as *^ eternal lite.'' Now it is impossible to 
believe in two immortalities. A man cannot believe 
in the current dogma of the '' immortality of the soul,'' 
and in ** conditional immortality through Christ." 

Only one of these ideas is true ; if immortality be 
natural to man, then it is not a gift to l)e sought for. 
But it will be shown that the immortality or eternal 
life of the scriptures is not only a conditional gift, 
but that it is the new life given to Christ by his 
resurrection and fullv shown in his GLORIFIED 
BODY. 

It is that life of His that is to be shared with his 
people. And as it was real, literal, eternal lif(\ and im- 



24 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

mortality was given in his case : it will be the same for 
his people. He was declared to be the Son of God 
in power according to the spirit of holiness by the 
resnrrection from the dead (Rom. 1, 4), * * ''made a 
priest'' after the power of endless life," (Heb. 7^ 
16), * * * Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth 
no more : death hath )io more dominion aver Him^ 
(Rom. 6, 9.) Being thus *' brought again from the 
dead'' by the Father (Heb. 13, 20) and glorified by 
the '^ power of endless lifp:," Jesus became a first 
fruit of the " resurrection and the life of his peo- 
ple." So that the sentence, ** Christ, our life,"" 
(Col 3, 4), is very significant of his relation to his 
people, it denotes that their future life is with Christ. 

This agrees with his own words — For as the lather 
has life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to- 
have LIFE IN HIMSELF, fJno. 5, 26). In this way 
'' our life " is hid icith Christ in God, (Col. 33). 
This is what Paul alludes to when he says, Paul ai> 
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according 
to the promise of life avhich is in Christ Jesus, 
(2 Tim. 1, 1). By this testimony, the doctrine is 
proven that the life ichich /.s in Christ Jesus, is the life 
promised to us in the scriptures, and more definitely 
proven by the following testimony, and this is the 
record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this 
life is in His Son, (1 Jno. 5, 11). 

In reviewing the doctrine of eternal life, we find 
Jesus is its foremost authorized teacher, and that it 
pleased God to demonstrate the doctrine in tlie person 
of his Son, and to make Him the repositor of that 
life until the day when we may look for the m^rcy 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life, (Judea 
21). That life is the ^' incorruptible inheritance '^ 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITIOX. 25- 

^'reserved in heaven/' (1 Pet. 1, 4). ^" The salva- 
tion '' that is to be revealed in the last time, (Ibid. v. 
4), it is '^ thp: grace '^ that is to be brought 
UNTO us at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (Ibid. v. 
13), it is the life by which we are saved, (Rom. 5, 10). 
until Christ returns, it is the believers ** hope laid up 
in Heaven," (Col. 1, 5). Secure in the keeping of 
Jesus a *' treasure in the Heavenj^ that faileth not.'' 
But the tradition of man's *^ immortal soul '' nulli- 
fies all the foregoing — it conHicts with conditional 
immortalitv throutrh Christ — it is incontrruous with 
the fact that Christ demonstrated in his person the 
only '* eternal life/' (or immortality), that has been 
offcral to man — it stultities the simple truth that the 
*^ eternal life" promise<.l by GckI is in the keeping of 
Christ until his return. Thus the savinr/ doctrinr of 
^^ eternal life" is nuUiliiHl by tradition, and an 
unreiisonable and illogical shift re-sorted to to main- 
tain thi} tradition. It is claimed by the churches that 
eternal life is only eternal happiucss, but •' happiness" 
does not enter into any of the definitions of zoec, (life). 
Happiness is merely a condition of the mind depend- 
ing upon an adec^uate cause for existence, and for the 
reason that it depends upon a cause, and flows from it,, 
it is therefore only an effect. The cause, (not the ef- 
fect), is the reasonable, logical and sole constituent of 
the '* GIFT." A gift prcxluces an effect upon the 
mind in proportion to its value and acceptability, pro- 
portionate joy and happiness results from it. It 
woilld be absurd to say in this case that happiness 
was the gift. Yet this is just what immortal soulists 
do. Thev are driven to the position, that eternal hap- 
piness is a gift of GckI. Their tradition prevents 
them from looking for the rfmsip of that happiness. 



26 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

If they would only rid themselves of their traditions 
and search, they would find that '^eternal life'^ 
is the cause of eternal happiness. The gift of God 
is eternal life, it is an inheritance, (Matt. 19, 29), it is 
.something to ^' receive/^ (James 1, 12). 

It is a gift of grace — of inestimable value — the 
basis of existence laid in immortality. And those 
blessed with such a real valuable gift will find that 
*' eternal life ^^ will be th^ cause of '' everlasting joy,'^ 
(Is. 35, 10). Happiness cannot be a matter of **m- 
iieritance,'' or '^ promise/^ or " gift ^^ like LIFE is, 
because it is only a condition of mind flowing from 
some good thing inherited, or received. Now that 
happiness is shown to be an effect, Eternal Life, 
the beautiful doctrine and Words of Christ stand out 
as a shining light to the benighted seeker for truth 
and life. They are also as an anchor for the hopes, 
and a rock for the feet of the believer, who has to 
stand against the confusion and sophistry of tradi- 
tional speculation. 

This doctrine of Life has a broad secure founda- 
tion in the New Testament, and it is stated with such 
plainess, and in such a variety of statements, that 
there is no doubt all men would understand it alike 
if there was no tradition to interfere with the proper 
meaning of simple words. 

It is stated as Eternal Life in the following places : 
* * * Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have eternal life, (John 3, 15). "^ * Thou hast the 
words of eternal life, (John 6, 68). Whoso eateth 
mv fleshand drinketh mv blood hath eternal life, 
^; 54 ;{c ^ * ^j^^ j^^ ^1^^^ hateth his life in this 

world, shall keep it unto life eternal, (Ibid 12, 25). 
And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 27 

perish, (Ibid 10, 20). And this is life eternal that they 
might know Thee, (Ibid 17, 3). And this is the prom- 
ise that he hath promised us, even eternal life^ (1 John 
2, 25). That being justified by his grace, we should 
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, 
(Tit. 3, 7). That as sin has reigned unto death, even so 
might GRACE reign through righteousness unto eternal 
life, * * * (Rom. 5, 21). Paul a servant of God, and 
an apostle of Jesus Christ, * * ^ in hope oi eternal life, 
(Titus 1, 2). But he shall receive in the world to 
come eternal life, (Mark 10, 30). Thou hast given 
him (Jesus) power over all flesh, that he should give 
eternal life to as many as thou hast given him, (John 
17, 2). It occurs also in the following, Matt. 19, 16 
Matt. 25, 46, Mark 10,17, Luke 18, 18, John 4, 36, 
John 5, 39, Acts 13, 48, Rom. 2, 7, Rom. 6, 23, 1 
Tim. 6, 12-19, 1 John 1,2, Ibid 3, 15, 5,11; 5, 13; 

5, 20; Judea 21. This doctrine is stated as "Ever- 
lasting Life ^^ in quite a number of places. It is from 
the same Greek words as ''eternal life^'^ and the Re- 
visers of 1881 have rendered it always "eternal lifeP 
So that the sentence " everlasting life^^ is not found in 
the Xew Version. But in the old it occurs as follows : 
This is the will of him that sent me, that every one 
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him may have 
everlasting life, (John 6, 40). 

-^ ^ Ye have your fruit unto holiness, and in the 
j:xd everlasting life, (Rom. 6, 22). * * He that soweth 
to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting, (Gal. 

6, 8). Paul was ^'a pattern to them which should 
hereafter believe on Him (Jesus) to life everlasting,^^ 
<1 Tim., 1, 16). It is found also in (Matt. 19, 29, 
Luke 18, 30, Jno. 3, 16 and 36, Ibid. 4, 14, 5, 24, 
6, 27, 12, 50, Acts 13, 46.) It occurs as " live forever^' 



28 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

thus: He thateateth of this bread shall livejoreverj, 
(Jno. 6, 51, 58). It is called '' endless life/' (Heb, 7^ 
16), *^He ever liveth to make intercession for them, 
(Heb. 7, 25). I am he that liveth and was dead, 
and behold I am alive for evermore, (Rev. 1, 18). 
It is called '' living fountains of waters/' (Rev. 7, 17). 
But Jesus states the doctrine in such a way that there 
is no twisting it. He actually defines his doctrine of 
^^ eternal life,'' thus: '' Neither can they die 
ANY MORE,'' these w^ords apply to the " Children of 
God" in the resurrection, (Luke 20, 36), and to no 
OTHERS. The variety of statement as given, forbids 
the altering of the w^ord " LIFE/' for if altered in 
one case it must be in all, and the emphatic definition 
given by Jesus precludes the possibility of '' eternal 
life" being anything else but living forever. It 
must be borne in mind that what is said of Christ's 
LIFE, applies to the believer, because they are to be 
"• SATED BY HIS LIFE," or more correctlv we shall be 
saved '* in the life of him" (en tee Zoe autou)^ (Rom.. 
5, 10). When Jesus said, '* Fear not I" to that dis- 
ciple that leaned on his bosom at supper. He even 
after resurrection gives reason for still leaning upon 
him in faith, though separated in person. What is 
the reason ? Here it is. 

*^I WAS DEAD," and Behold I am alive for- 
EVERMORE, (Rev. 1, 18). This being the comfort 
given (to the disciple whom Jesus loved) in the lonely 
JPatmos. 

It is true comfort, for we cannot think that Jesus, 
himself, would give anything but true, solid consola- 
tion, to his beloved disciple in that lonely Island. 

Well, then, the difference betw^een bejng ** dead" 
and being '' alive for evermore," is the basis of 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 29 

the comfort given. It is the whole work of the 
Saviour, as '' Author ^^ and finisher of our faith;" 
he began in the humble stable, he finished in immor- 
tality, and revealed our Salvation in his glorified 
JBODY" to John, *' for we shall be like him," (1 Jno., 
3, 2). And the fact that he has the Keys of Hades 
and of death, is the assurance, that what he has ac- 
complished himself, he can do for his brethren. 

It is now in order to Throve that the only immor- 
tality brought to light by the Gospel, is consequent 
to abolishing death. 

" Christ ^ "^ ^ loho hath abolished death, and brought 
life and immortality to light through the Gospel, (2 
Tim. 1, 10). The facts of Christ^s death, resurrection 
and subsequent glorification, prove the above point 
to be true, as also do Paul's words. *' Christ being 
raised from the dead, dieth no more. Death hath no 
more dominion over Him.'' While death reigned 
over man, God's purpose and Christ's victory was an 
unaccomplished work, but as soon as Christ in our 
nature conquered death by resurrection and became 
immortal. He stands before us a prototype of im- 
mortal MAN to come, and who is to live and reign 
in the age to come. Therefore, the only immortality 
He brought to light, is that which glows in his own 
resplendent person, as a ^^ garment of glory and of 
beauty," befiting his office as a '' Priest forever, after 
the order of Melchisidek." 

Christ brought immortality to light FOR MAN. 
He said nothing about immortality in man. 

Christ certainly was competent to state and preach 
the "" immortality of the soul " with equal plainness 
as modern preachers. But He never did it, and 
his not doing it is the strongest argument that it is 



30 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

not true. It is urged sometimes that (2 Tim. 1. 10) 
merely refers to Christ shedding light upon " the im- 
mortality of the souP^ that was previously compar- 
atively dark. But that assertion is as thin as tissue, 
for how could he shed light on a doctrine he never 
5^a^6C?? and besides it has been shoAvn that the im- 
mortality there referred to, is consequent upon abol- 
ishing death. So that traditional native immortality- 
is not alluded to, nor acknowledged. 

It will be in place now to notice the origin of this 
tradition. 

Pythagoras, an ancient Greek Philosopher, wha 
flourished 540 to 510 B. C, spent many years trav- 
elling over the world seeking knowledge. He visited 
Egypt and learnt Metemsychosis, or transmigratioi:! 
of souls from the Egyptians. This notion he brought 
to Greece, and then removing to the City of Croton, 
in southern Italy, taught it there where he had un- 
bounded influence over the people, see Ency. Univ, 
Knowledge on Pythagoras Metemsychosis is the ear- 
liest form of the '' immortality of the soul.^^ '^ The 
Egyptians say that Ceres, (the goddess of corn), and 
Bacchus, (the god of wine), hold the chief sway in the 
infernal regions; and the Egyptians, also were the first 
who asserted the doctrine that the soul of man is immor- 
tal,^^ Herodotus, p. 144. Socrates, an Athenian, B. 
C, 440, taught '^ the immortality of the souP^ to the 
People of Athens. He gave the doctrine shape and 
consistency. He said, '' when the dead are arrived at 
the fatal rendezvous of departed souls, whither their 
demon conducts them — they are judged ^^ — Ancient 
History. Rollin vol. 1, p. 393. " For those who have 
passed through life with peculiar Sanctity of manners, 
delivered from their base earth abodes as from a 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 31 

prisoiij they are received on high in a pure region 
which they inhabit, and as philosophy has suffic- 
iently purified them — they live ivithout their bodies 
through all eternity, in a series of joys and delights, 
which is not easy to describe, Ibid. It must be ad- 
mitted that Socrates' doctrine was at least consistent 
with itself. It was not embarassed like the modern 
dogma is with unnecessary resurrection and useless 
judgment after the Souls have been in ages of bliss or 
misery as the case may be. Plato, a pupil of Socrates, 
taught that ^' human souls are off-shoots, emanations 
or sparks, in such a fashion that they partake essen- 
tially of the essential nature of the source from which 
they proceed,'^ Ency. Univ. Knowledge, p. 775 on 
Plato. 

Plotinus born at Lycapolis in Egypt, A. D., 205. 
Taught the immortality of the soul, with Metemsy- 
chosis for the souls not sufficiently purified, who passed 
into men or animals again. 

In A. D. 244 he taught this doctrine in the city of 
Rome, and was the popular lecturer of that city, and 
is the founder of the Neoplatonic School, Ibid. From 
this time we find the immortality of the soul growing 
as an excrescence upon the previously simple Chris- 
tian faith. Mosheim says, '* Its first promoters argued 
from that known doctrine of the Platonic School, 
which was also adopted by Origen and his disciples, 
that the divine nature was diffused through all human 
souls, (Ecclesiastical History, vol. 1, p. 86). Origen 
a professed Christian adopted platonism, and invented 
the scheme of ^' spiritualizing the Scriptures'^ (as it is 
called) so that his tenets could have the seeming support 
of God's word. We have however an instance of 
Paul coming in contract with the Platonists at Athens. 



32 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

He said to them, ^'I perceive that in all things 
ye are too superstitious/^ (Acts 17, 22). They said 
his doctrine was ^' new/^ (Acts 17, 19). And when 
they heard of the resurrection of the dead, they 
^^ Mocked.'^ This shows that Platonic Philosophy 
w^as inconsistent with the resurrection. For in their 
ears, it ^' was strange things^^ that Paul taught in that 
refined court at Athens, see v. 20. But if Paul was 
an ardent advocate *' of the immortality of the soul/^* 
and put it in front as a very essential doctrine like 
modern preaches do, when in Athens he ought to 
have been at home with the philosophers, for it was the 
very home of Socrates and Plato. But he never 
admits or states the doctrine of native immortalitv, 
but puts the resurrection in the front, as do all advo- 
cates of Eternal life through Christ. 

Through the dark ages the papacy is Supreme, and 
having adopted the Platonic idea, Pope Clement, 
the fifth, dogmatised '^the soul is immortal,'^ this is 
found in his Canons about 1308, A. D. He was the 
first Pope to wear the triple Crown, Ency. Univ. 
Knowledge on Clement 5th. And the council of the 
Lateran " strictly inhibit all from dogmatizing other- 
wise,'^ Caranza p. 412, 1681. But in the Reforma- 
tion, we find Luther repudiates it, he said, '' I permit 
the Pope to make articles of faith for himself and 
his faithful, such as the soul is the substantial form 
of the human body, the soul is immortal, with all 
those monstrous opinions found in the Poman dung- 
hill of decretals, (Luther's Works, Vol. II, folio 107, 
Wittenburg 1562). And among many recent devout 
and scholarly men, the notion is repudiated. On p. 
296 of the Critical Commentarv — commenting on 
il Cor., 15, 54), we read^ '' nowhere is the immortality 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 33 

of the Soul distinct from the body taught ; a notion 
which many erroneously have derived fi^om the 
HEATHEN PHILOSOPHERS^^ This commentary is by 
^' Rev.'^ Robert Jemaison, D. D., Rector St. Pauls, 
Glasgow, Scotland ; '' Rev/' A. R. Faussett, A. M., 
Rector St. Cuthberts, York, Eng.; ^^Rev/' David 
Brown, D. D., Rector, Aberdeen, Scotland. Pub- 
lished by S. S. Scranton & Co., Hartford, 1879. 
The honesty and scholarship of these men cannot be 
called in question. And after being brought up and 
educated to believe in man's natural immortality, 
they, in high positions, and in mature years, throw 
the w^eight of their names and learning against the 
dogma. Honest reader, when such men do this, is it 
not time to be ashamed of it? And when they make 
a large commentary the vehicle for carrying their de- 
nunciation to the w^orld! Having shown the origin 
of the traditional dogma from Egypt to Greece, and 
from Greece to Rome, from Paganism to the Papacy, 
and how from the Reformation it is repudiated by 
many learned men, the reader can see the tradition 
did not originate with Christ nor his followers. 

To conclude then, the gift of God is eternal life 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord, (Rom. 6, 23). To 
be ^' a gift,'^ it must be a reality, not a mere effed, 
and it cannot be consistently understood otherwise 
than as the following is — He asked life of Thee, and 
thou gavest it him, even length of days, forever 
and ever, (Ps. 21, 4). 

To have fellowship with the Father and with 
Christ, it is necessary to believe what John put forth 
on the subject of eternal life as a foundation for broth- 
erhood. He wrote — That which we (apostles) have 
seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may 



34 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

have FELLOWSHIP loith us; and truly our fellowshijy 
is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, (1 
John, 1,3). Now what was it John had ^' seen '^ and 
"' heard,^^ and '' declared'^ in order to feUoicship.. 
Mark now ! 

^' The LIFE was manifested, and we (apostles) 
have seen it, and bear ayitxess, and shew unto you, 
that ETERNAL LIFE, which was with the Father, 
and was manifested unto us, (v. 2). ^^Our hands 
have handled of the word of life/' (v. 1). Do you 
hold this doctrine of Eternal Life? 

In concluding his epistle, John gives a definite 
statement of the believer^s relation to this doctrine, 
also where the ^^gift^' noto is. And this is the 
record, that God hath given to us Eternal. 
Life, and this Life is in His Son. (1 John^ 
5, 11). 

THE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM 

OF GOD 

Is the third and ultimate promise of the Gospel. It 
is in perfect accord with the original purpose of God, 
when he created man, His purpose was expressed in 
these words, * * ^ Let them have dominion over 
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and 
over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every 
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, (Gen. 1^ 
26 j. In later times the Psalmist wrote, Thou madest 
him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, 
Thou hast put all things under his ie^t, (Ps. 8, 6). 
But man sinned, and bv his disobedience he became 
subject to the angels, '^ which are greater in power 
and might, (2 Pet. 2, 11). They by direction of the 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 35 

Eternal Father^ impose a law upon man, for his 
guidance. 

They attach penalties, and when there is no man 
to enforce the penalties, they do it themselves, as seen 
in the punishment of the Jews in the wilderness and 
after; thus man became subject to the angels, as it is 
written: " For if the word spoken by angels was 
STEADFAST and every transgression and disobedience 
received a just recompense of reward, (Heb. 2, 2), as 
was the case under the law. For Stephen, full of the 
Holy Spirit, said they, the Jews, have received the 
law by the disposition of Angels/^ and have not kept 
it, (Acts 7, 53). It was ordained by Angels in the 
hands of a mediator, (Moses, Gal. 3, 19). Thus man 
has been under angelic tuition and subjection, but in 
later times, God sent his word by Jesus Christ, (Acts 
10, 36). 

(He is Lord of all), He hath in these last days 
spoken to us by His Son, (Heb. 1, 2). And he being 
Son of God and son of man, combines in his person 
the right of inheritance to all things. 

As Son of God he is Lord of all, '^ heer op all 
things'^, (Heb. 1, 2). As son of min, he is the lin- 
eal descendant of Adam, and having established his 
probity, by magnifying the law and making it hon- 
ourable, His obedience being accepted, so that the 
Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake. And 
because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity, 
THEREFORE God, cveu thy GjI hath auDint^i thea 
with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, (Heb. 1, 
9). So that Jesus, as Son of man, has established his 
riglit by probity to that sovereignty over all that was 
intended for man to have in the first pla39. 

And He, ^' being made so nmh batter than the 



36 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

angels, as he hath by inheritance (from his Father) 
obtained a more excellent name than they, (Heb. 1, 4), 
therefore, he has, by probity and inheritance, super- 
seded the angels in the government of the icorM TO 
COME. As it is written, for nnto the angels hath he 
not put in subjection the icorld to come whereof we 
speak, (Heb. 2, 5). But we see Jesus crowned with 
glory and honour. " Angels and authorities and 
powers being made subject to him,'' (1 Pet., 3, 22). 
Exalted far above all principality and power, and 
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, 
not only in this world, but, also, in that which is to 
COME, (Eph. 1, 21). By obedience to the whole Gos- 
pel, the believer is to be made a joint heir with 
Christ, (Rom. 8, 17), in the glory, power and do- 
minion of the w^ORLD TO COME. For Jesus said to 
the faithful, I will grant to sit with me in my throne 
even as I also overcame and am set down with my 
Father on His throne, (Rev. 3, 21). The inheritance 
of the Kingdom of God is nothing else but the par- 
taking of the glory, power, title and government of 
the AGES TO COME, that has been regained for i\\e 
obedient by Christ. This will be apparent from the 
following: testimonies: * * =^ Walk worthy of 
God, who hath called vou to his Kingdom and 
Glory, (1 Thess., 2, 12)'. 

The apostles- were promised to sit upon twelve 
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the 
regeneration, (Mat. 19, 28). Paul said, do ye not 
know that the saints shall judge the world? (I Cor. 
6, 2). The saints cannot judge the world nor the 
apostles the twelve tribes, unless there is some power 
given to the saints that they have never had as yet. 

Turning to the sacred page, we find that is* provided. 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 37 

for ^' I beheld * * * until the ancient of davs came 
and judgment was given to the saints of the Most 
High, and the time came that the saints possessed the 
Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, (Dan. 7, 
18). And the Kingdom and dominion, and the 
greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heav- 
en, shall be given to the people of the saints of the 
Most High, (Dan. 7, 27). The exercise of such 
power is befittingly withheld from selfish erring 
mortals, and for that reason ** flesh and blood cannot 
inherit the Kingdom of God, ^^ (1 Cor. 15, 50). It is 
reserved for immortalized man in the age to come, 
those whose sins are forgiven and who shall inherit 
the ** divine nature," (2 Pet. 1, 4), '* being made equal 
unto the angels, (Luke 20, 36). They are then as 
qualified as the angels, to assist Christ and to exercise 
his prerogative of government and enlightment, and 
to stand in a similar relation to Christ, as thev did to 
God the Father, 

Concerning the angels of the Father it is written, 
Bless the Lord ye his angels that excel in strength, 
that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice 
of his word. ^ * * ^ Ye ministers of his that do 
his pleasure, (Ps. 103, 20, 21). Concerning the saints 
in their relation to Christ, it is wTitten, * * ^ He 
is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And they 
that are ivith him are called and chosen and faithful,^^ 
(Rev. 17, 14). '^ These are they which follow the 
lamb w^iithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed 
from AMONG MEX, being the first-fruits unto God, 
and to the lamb, (Rev. 14, 4). 

It is to be noticed that those ^^Avith Christ'' men- 
tioned in (Rev. 17, 14) are with him when he conquers 
the Kings of the earth. Much more, Jesus said. 



38 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

" And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto 
the end, to him will I give power over the nations, 
(Rev. 2, 26). Some may object to the idea of the 
saints having to exercise power over the nations, as 
being inconsistant with their dignity and holiness ; it 
is in the administration of justice, and dissemination 
of Saving Knoioledge, where dignity and holiness 
properly belong. There could scarcely be a more holy 
meeting of men than that of Jesus and his faithful 
Apostles at the last supper, yet Jesus on that occasion 
made the rulership oj his kingdom a matter of spe- 
cific promise to those who followed him in his trials. 
He said, I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father 
hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink 
at my table in my kingdom, and sit upon thrones 
judo:ing the twelve tribes of Israel, (Luke 22, 29, 30). 

The Saint^s rulership of the nations in the age to 
come is quite consistent with God^s dealings with 
men in the past. Indeed it is beautifully harmonious 
with, and almost a repetition of past methods of 2:0V- 
erning his people. God says to Israel, '^ I will restore 
thy Judges as at the first, and thy counsellors, as at 
the beginning, (Isaiah 1, 26). In those early times 
referred to, the Lord raised up Judges which delivered 
them out of the hands of these that spoiled them, 
(Jud. 2, 16). 

^ ?K ^ Then the Lord was with the Judge, v. 18. 
And even before that time, we read that God sent 
His Angel and brought the Jews forth out of 
Egypt, (Num. 20, 16). Again, Behold I send an 
Angel before thee, to keep thee in the w^ay and to 
bring thee into the place which I have prepared, (Ex. 
23, 20). Also, in Elijah^s time, we find the nation of 
Israel subject to his authority, we read **as the Lord 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 39 

llvetb before whom I stand, tbei'e shall not be dew 
nor rain these years, hut according to ray tvord^\ (1 
Kings, 17,1), read [James 5, 17, 18]. And in the 
Apostle's days, liars and perverters were punished in 
superhuman ways and by the Apostles, (Acts 5, 3-5. 
13, 11). Thus it is seen that the exercise of God\s 
invincible power by men and Angels in the past to 
guide, protect or punish, is in perfect accord with 
God's purpose in the future; it is taught in the para- 
bles of Jesus, (Matt. 25, 21, I.uke 19, 17). Also in 
the Psalms, (149, 7, 9). They are " to execute 
vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon 
the people, to bind their Kings with chains and their 
nobles with fetters of iron. To execute upon them 
the judgment written, this hoitt)r have all his Saints*'. 
The New SonCx of the Redeemed concludes 
with the following words confirming the above, ^* and 
hast made us unto our God, Kings and Priests, and 
we shall reign on the EARTH, (Rev. 5, 9-10). By 
these testimonies we see the Saints are to be sovereigns 
of the Earth, immortal, invincible. Brethren of 
Christ in power and glory, regained by obedience 
and righteousness. 

It will be g^enerallv admitted that Jesus Christ is 
above angels in name and authority now, and that His 
authority will be paramount in the '' vjorld to comej^ 
the angels having been superseded by man^s repre- 
sentative, and God's anointed, Jesus. Therefore 
it is proper to point out here, that His exercise of gov- 
ernmental authority in *Hhe world to come '^ is His per- 
sonal reign upon the earth, literally as is His present 
high station as priest upon His Father's throne. 

His presence is to succeed His absence, as day suc- 
ceeds niglit. Therefore the epoch of his reign is 



40 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

called the *a)AY of Christ/' (1 Cor., 1, 8, Phil. 1, 
6-10), thus pointing to a day when Christ will }je tri- 
umphant over all. The phrase '' World to come'^ 
was evidently originated by Christ. He applies it 
to that time when He will reward His faithful fol- 
lowers, (Mark 10, 30). It is synonymous with the 
other original phrase ^Hhe regeneration/' (Matt. 19, 
28), when He said, He is to sit on the throne of HIS 
glory. These terms are identical with '' That World/^ 
(Luke 20, 35), Avhen the dead are to rise. Paul also 
uses the term '' World to eome/^ he applies it the 
same as Jesus did, to the future of this earth when 
Christ shall be Supreme, (Eph. 1, 21), and the angels 
having been superseded, (Heb. 2, 5, 9). 

In the ^' World to ct)me ^^ there will even he for- 
giveness of sin obtained, (Matt. 12, 32), and gifts 
of the spirit, eclipsing those of apostolic days, which 
were tastes of the powers of '* the world to come,*^ 
(Heb. 6, 5). 

These facts preclude the possibility of applying- the 
term to Heaven. ^'The Day of Christ,^^ ^^The World 
to come,^^ ^^ The Ages to come/^ '' The Regeneration'^ 
are all identical in their application, to Christ's reign 
upon earth wdien He retur:ns from Heaven. 

Let it be noticed, these phrases cannot be truthfully 
applied to Heaven, because it is not a w^orld to come ; 
it has always been and it needs no regeneration. The 
foregoing terms are in themselves an index pointing 
to a period in the world's affairs yet to come, when 
Jesus will assume sovereign power according to the 
wall of God, as it is written. * * * The government 
shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be 
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The 
Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 41 

increase of His government and peace there shall be 
no end^ upon the throne of David, (Is. 9, 6-7). And 
I saw, * "^ * one like the Son of Man came with the 
clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days^ 
and they brought Him near before Him. And there 
w^as given Him dominion, and glory and a kingdom, 
that all people, nations and languages should serve 
Him, (Dan. 7, 13-14). Xow for His own words: 
When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and 
all His holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon 
the throne of His glory, (Matt. 25, 31). John^ 
writing of the same event, says : Now is come sal- 
vation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God,, 
and the power of His Christ, Ac. (Rev. 12, 10). 

Notice that during the sounding of the seventh 
trumpet, (which is the last), the Kingdoms of thij^ 
WORLD are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and 
His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever^ 
(Rev. 11, 15). At this epoch God is praised, ^'Be- 
cause Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power and 
hast reigned/' (Rev. 11, 17). This assuming of 
power to reign, during the seventh trumpet, is syn- 
chronous vrith the resurrection of the dead, see. \y 
18, and so fixing the locality and time of Clirist's 
reign, as events on the earth. 

The redeemed are later on represented as singing 
the NEW SONG of Moses and the Lamb, and conclud- 
ing thus, * ^ '^ * all nations shall come and worship 
before Thee, for Thy judgments are niade manifest, 
(Rev. 15, 4). Thus we see a redeemed Host rejoicing 
in the prospect of the conversion of the world to God ^. 
after they themselves have been redeemed. 

This is perfectly consistent with the foregoing and 
with vrhat follows. 



42 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

The passages quoted are sufficient to sustain the 
doctrine of Christ assuming power to reign at His 
return from Heaven, and Paul teaches that the Saints 
reign with him. '' If we suffer we shall also reign 
WITH Him/^ (2 Tim. 2, 12). 

This then is the inheritance of the Kingdom of 
Ood, a Kingdom which Jesus received by virtue of His 
^^ being heir of all things/^ Heir to dominion given 
to Adam, which He regained by obediance. Heir to 
the world by being the seed of Abraham, (Rom. 4^ 
13, Gal 3, 16). 

Heir to its royalty through being the son of David, 
<Ps. 132, 11., Acts, 2, 30). Heir to all by being 
Son of God, (Heb. 1, 2; 2, 10). These being the 
rights and titles of Jesus to the Kingdom of God, 
His Father. Those that are jointheirs with Him, 
(Rom. 8, 17), share the same thing as the Heir-in- 
chief, as a matter of course. 

But the tradition of the churches in reference to 
going to Heaven is so much at variance with the 
Scriptures, that it ignores and nullifies all the fore- 
going. The advocates of a Kingdom in the sky are 
unable to use the Scripture quoted. They ignore all 
the covenants God made with the Fathers. The la- 
mentable ignorance that prevails as to what the ^'cov- 
enants of promise ^^ are, is the most positive proof 
that their tradition is incomDatible with God's cove- 
nants. If their tradition was consonant with the 
covenants, the latter would have been studied to have 
a harmony. But the covenants are left in darkness, 
and the idea of transit to Heaven at death is made to 
eclipse all others. Even the second coming of Christ 
is reduced to a meaningless farce by this tradition. 
His coming they describe as a mission to judge those 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 43 

that have been in Hell or Heaven, as the case may 
be, also to judge the living, and then to set the world 
on fire. To judge the dead that have been in Hell 
or Heaven is farcical ; to set tlie world on fire is mon- 
strous and useless. 

But reader stop and think ! The advocates of this 
tradition quietly assume that when Jesus has done 
all that He returns again to Heaven, But let the 
verse or sentence be produced that even intimates 
His return again to Heaven. It cannot be done. 

The making of such unwarrantable assumptions is 
evidence of the untenable nature of the tradition. 

The Scriptures contradict the idea of Christ's return 
to Heaven after He has been here the second time. 
It teaches, "^ ^*' "^ Behold the tabernacle of God is 
with man, and He will dwell with them, (Rev. 
21, 3). And He said unto me, son of man, the place 
of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet 
where I will dwell in the midst of the children of 
Israel for ever, (Ez. 43, 7). Behold I make all things 
new, (Rev. 21, 5), are the words from the throne, and 
they cannot apply to Heaven, but to the earth. Sure- 
ly after all things are made new there will be no de- 
struction of the NEW THiNCiS, uav for we are assured 
on this point, as follows: For as the New Heavens 
and the New Earth, which I will make, shall re- 
main BEFORE ME, saith the Lord, so shall your 
seed and your name remain, (Is. 66, 22). "The 
name of the city (Jerusalem) from that day shall be 
The Lord is there,^^ (Ez. 48, 35). Sing and re- 
joice O daughter of Zion ! for, lo, I come, and I will 
DWELL in the midst of thee ; saith the Lord, (Zach. 
2,10). 

Further^ when Jesus was about to leave the earth 



44 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

to go to Heaven, He said, *-:■=* I will not drink of 
the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God 
SHALL COME, (Liike 22, 18). Thereby showing 
that the Kingdom of God is to come, while Heaven 
was the place he was going to. If by going to Heaven 
He went to the Kingdom of God, as it is taught, 
then the language of Jesus at the supper is inexpli- 
cable. Bui the supper itself and the words used point 
to the coming Kingdom and to the return of Jes'us, as 
it is written : For as often as ye eat this bread, and 
drink this cup, ye do shew^ the Lord's death till he 
COME, (1 Cor., 11, 26). So that w4ien Jesus comes 
it can be said : "• Now is come salvation and strength^ 
and the Kingdom of our God and the power of His 
Christ/' 

The tradition of going to Heaven originated in 
those countries where the resurrection of the dead 
was disbelieved. Because it w^as inconsistent w^ith the 
notion of the soul's untrammeled freedom in Elysium. 
Socrates taught that purified souls '' are received on 
high in a pure region which they inhabit, * "^ "^^ they 
live ivithout their bodies through all eternity in a series 
of joys and delights/' (Ancient History, Rollin, vol, 1. 
p 393.) '^ The Elysium of the classic mythology is 
in all its essential respects the natural equivalent of 
the Heaven of the just. The Pythagorean doctrine 
of metemsychosis approached nearer to it (Heaven) in 
form, for it supposecl that the soul after the puriiica- 
tion of successive transmigration, was elevated to a 
higher and incorporal condition in the cosmos," (Ency. 
Univ. Know^ledge, pp. 396.) 

'* In the Odyssey, Homer describes it as a place 
where the souls of the departed lived in ease and 



NULLIFIED BY TRiVDITION. 45 

abundance among innocent pleasures and enjoying a 
mild and wholesome air/^ (Ibid pp. 382). 

It will be seen the tradition of going to a happj 
place at death is an old one. 

It was promulgated centuries before Christ, by- 
people who exclude the resurrection. What wonder 
is it then that the successors of Socrates mocked 
Paul at Athens, when he taught the resurrection. 

But in the middle of the second century. A, D. 
130 to 140, we find Justin, the martyr, is converted 
to believe in Christ, and by the advice of a venerable 
man on the sea shore of Samaria, he proceeds to 
study the Scriptures and is convinced of their truth. 

Previously he w^as a philosopher of the Socratic 
and Platonic school. He was born in the city of Sa- 
maria, While at Ephesus he is asked by Trypho, 
a Jev/, for information concerning the Christian faith. 
In the conversation, Justin said to him: ^'If, there- 
fore, you fall in with certain who are called Chris- 
tians, who confess not this truth, but dare to blas- 
pheme this God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, 
in that they say there is no resurrection of the dead, 
but that immediately when they die their souls are 
received up into heaven. Avoid them and esteem thewj 
not Christians.''^ (In dialogue with Trypho). 

Now Justin, in abandoning Platonism, denounced 
the notion of the soul going to Pleaven at death, as 
an unchristian nation to be avoided. He lived so 
near the Apostles that he had the advantage of local- 
ity, and almost be able to learn direct from them^ 
and if the Apostles taught it with the same positive- 
ness as the moderns, then it certainly was believed by 
the church in Samaria, Justin^s home; then how is it 
Justin denounces it ? It could not have been a pre- 



40 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

vailing notion among Christians at that time. But 
in the middle of the third century the Greek notion 
of the soul going to Heaven was fastened on to the 
professed Christian church. It has remained since. 

But in the Jewish nation the idea of land posses- 
sion and royalty naturally grew from the covenants 
to Abraham and David. The covenant to Abraham 
relates to territory and posterity. That to David re- 
lates to roj'alty over the territory indicated to Abra- 
ham. 

And when Jesus, the seed of Abraham, (Gal. 3, 16)^ 
and Son of David, appears in the villages and cities 
of Israel. 

He preaches land inheritance and share in its 
royalty as a reward to the faithful. Blessed are the 
meek for they shall inherit the earth, (Matt, 5, o),, 
is among His first promises, and must have been un- 
derstood by the people that heard it, in the same nat- 
ural manner as the other promises with which it ap- 
pears. And as to royalty, when Jesus was asked to 
grant that James and John should sit at His right 
and left hand in His Kingdom, He does not treat 
it as an irrelevant request, but said to them, '^ it is 
not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for tvhom 
it is prepared of my Father,'' (Matt. 20, 21, 23). 

The preaching of Jesus is crystalized into this 
phrase: ^' The Kingdom of God,'' (Mark 1, 14) 
which is synonymous with Kingdom of Heaven, [com- 
pare Matt. 5, 3, with Luke 6, 20 ; Matt. 8, 11, with 
Luke 13, 29.] It is to be noticed the inheritance of 
the Kingdom of God is subsequent to the resurrection 
and judgment. Therefore it destroys the notion of 
Heaven being the Kingdom. For it is only after ap- 
proval at the judgment that the righteous are invited 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 47 

to inherit it; this invitation is to the righteous^ living 
and dead. Then ahall the King say to them on his 
right hand, come (ye blessed of my Father), inherit 
THE Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 
of the world, (Mattt 25, 34). ^ * Who shall judge 
the quick and dead, and (I charge thee) by His appear- 
ing and His Kingdom (2 Tim., 4, 1, Variorum Bible).. 
The resurrection is the time appointed by God for 
rewardin^^ all, even '' his servants, the jyropliets. and 
the saints, small and great/^ (Rev. 11, 18), it is called 
^^ the time of the dead thj?t they should be judged,'^ 
Ibid. It is after the dead are raised that the living 
are gathered from all Cj[uarters to sit down in the 
Kingdom of God, (Luke 13, 29). 

Thus the living and the dead are glorified together 
by receiving ''the reward of the inheritance/^ (ColL 
3, 24). Taking the words of Christ as our basis the 
" Kingdom of God ^^ is equivalent with " the regen- 
eration,^' it belongs to ''the world to come.'' It is 
not of this world as Jesus said, (John 18, 36). 

It is not of this world in the same sense that Jesus 
said, I am not of the world, (John 17, 14-16), yet 
he was in the world. 

The Kingdom is of God in its origin. It is like 
Heaven in durability, in glory, in peace, in God being 
in all. It is Heavenly in not having death. It is 
Heavenly in having universal righteousness. " Thy 
people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit 
the land forever,'' (Is. 60, 21). Heavenly in being 
full of joy and blessing, in having Christ and all 
the prophets in it. Therefore it is the Heavenly coun-^ 
try that Abraham looked for, (Heb. 11, \^^. 

Being Heavenly is like Heaven, though not Heav- 
en itself. To bear a general resemblance to Heaven^ 



4S THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

is to be HEAYEXLY. The reader will doubtless ob- 
serve that this earth, if it is to be Ihe territory of the 
Kingdom of God, it must need to have much removed 
that is offensive to a Heavenly Kingdom of joy and 
peace. 

The words of Christ are sufficient to clear up this 
matter and to establish the truth that sinners are to 
be driven out of the territory of God^s Kingdom, 
therefore it cannot be Heaven. '^The Son of Man 
shall send forth His angels and they shall gather out 
of His Kingdom all things that offend and them 
which do iniquity/^ (Matt. 13, 41). There shall be 
weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see 
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets in 
the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thnist out, 
(Luke 13, 28). 

When sinners are rooted out of it, then comes the 
time for the Father's ^' Holy One '' to be given for a 
covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause 
to inherit the desolate heritages, (Is. 49, 8.) 

When all things are to be made new, then *^ the 
ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion 
with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads/' 
(Is. 35, 10). ^ ^ 

The following points have been established in rela- 
tion to the Kingdom of God. 1st — It belongs to 
the *' icorld to come'^ 2d — It is after the judgemnt 
the righteous are called to inherit it. 3d — Flesh and 
blood cannot inherit it. 4th — At the second coming 
of Christ, He sends forth His angels to gather out of 
His Kingdom, all that offend and them that do iniq- 
uity. 6th — It is the ^'Regeneration,'' or the New 
Heavens and Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. 
' With these points standing out as the unequivocal 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 49 

teaching of the word. The Heaven-going notion is 
relegated to those from whom it came, the Pagans of 
Ancient Greece. It was nursed in the same cradle 
as Polytheism and Metemsychosis. Therefore take 
advise from Paul. 

^He came in conflict with these traditions, neverthe- 
less He had great success in the country where Poly- 
theism and the soul going to Elysium or Heaven 
was the prevailing belief I But do His converts ex- 
pect to go to Heaven after they abandon heathenism? 
mark what follows: " For they themselves shew of 
us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and 
how ye turned from idols to serve the living and true 
God, and to wait for his Son from Heaven, (1 
Thess. 1, 9, 10). 

This waiting for Christ from Heaven was some- 
thing new to them and contrary to Greek philosophy. 
Paul cautions all against that philosophy. '^Beware 
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain 
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments 
of the world, and not after Christ, (Coll. 2, 8). 

The philosophy He referred to was the Grecian, 
and its *^rudiments^^ were polytheism, the immortality 
of the soul, departure of the soul at death to a ^^region 
on high w^here they live through all eternity without 
their bodies,^^ These traditions being undeniably Gre- 
cian, and the Colossians being cautioned against it, 
therefore, they must be rejected by all true Chris- 
tians. It is the speculation of imaginative minds de- 
void of the revelation from God, which alone is based 
on ''covenants of promise^^ that have been assured by 
a stupendous miracle that could not be gainsaid in the 
day of its witnesses — the resurrection of Jesus. 

^^Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision 



50 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made 
unto the fathers, (Rom. 15, 8). And as the Fathers 
*^all died in faith, not having received the promises'^ 
we look to the return of Christ when he will use the- 
^'Key of David^^ (Rev. 3, 7), to open up the cov- 
enants to the inheritors, that no man can thereafter 
shut, to ^*perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy 
to Abraham, which thou hast sworn to our Fathers 
from the days of old, (Mich. 7, 20). Then till Jesus 
returns let Hope wear her helmet and Faith stand 
w^ith her shield, while invincible Truth with her 
words of wisdom, separates the chaff from the wheat 
and Charity looks over all, and says: ''The love of 
Christ constraineth us^^ to thus give words of caution 
and guidance to the anxious wayfarer seeking for 
eternal life, and a place in the kingdom of God. 

But no one can have a place therein until the an- 
gels have first rooted out the wicked from its hallowed 
territory, like Adam was sent forth from the Garden 
of Eden, but the wicked will be driven out todestruG- 
Hon, (Matt. 13, 42). ^^Then shall the righteous 
shine forth as tlie Sun in the Kingdom of their 
Father/^ (Matt. 13, 43). As the glorious inheritance 
of the righteous begins subsequent to the cleansing of 
the Kingdom, as shown, and as the cleansing is done 
by angels, and by Heaven\s authority, the result must 
be Heavenly. Paul was engaged for three months in 
the Synagogue of the Jews at Ephesus, " disputing 
and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom 
of God,^' (Acts 19, 8). Whatever were his arguments 
in detail, we are not informed, but we do know the 
main argument; it rested on ^^the covenant of prom- 



ise.^^ 



For the people instructed at Ephesus, and who be- 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 51 

iiev^ed in the Kingdom of God, as He taught it, re- 
ceived an epistle from Him. In that letter they are re- 
ferred to as *^ aliens from the commonwealth of Is- 
rael/' (Eph. 2; 12), before their enlightenment. But 
after they are in Christ, they are ^' no more strangers 
and foreigners/' hut fellow citizens with the saints and 
of the household of God, (Ibid v., 19). The words 
'^strangers and foreigners'' refers to the commonwealth 
of Israel/' like the word *^ alien" ot verse 12. This 
'' Household of God," or ^' Citizens of a common- 
wealth " are to be gathered together at a certain time, 
with all the royal gifts from Heaven, and the King, 
Jesus, being heir-in-chief, He gathers the joint 
heirs, and shares his Kingdom and glory with them, 
as it is written: *^That in the dispensation of the 
fullness of times, he might gather together in one, all 
things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which 
are on earth; even in Him/' (Eph. 1, 10). Eternal 
Life and royal inheritance, with all its glory, are /rom 
Heaven ; while the citizens of the commonwealth, i. e. 
SAINTS '' will come from the east, from the west, from 
the north, aud from the south to sit down in the 
Kingdom of God," (Luke 13, 29). Now as the gath- 
ering is to take place in the '^fullness of times/^ it 
must be clear to all that the things from Heaven and 
the things of earth that are to be gathered lie sepa- 
rated in their respective places until the gathering of 
all to Christ, (see 2 Thess., 2, IJ. 

Thus the Kingdom of God will be made up of 
things from Heaven and things from the earth, and 
when His servants on earth are blessed with the glor- 
ious things from Heaven, it can be said* as an accom- 
plished fact unto Him (the Father) be glory in the 



52 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

church by CHRIST JESUS throughout all ages 
world without end. Amen. 

And ail true enlightened hearts can appreciate the 
following lines expressing the '^ hope of the Gospel '^ 
in the order of Scripture and in connection with the 
return of Christ. 

To Jesus King immortal, 
Be praise and glory given; 
We hail from every portal, 
The coming King of Heaven. 

He comes to wake His servants, 
Who long in dust have lain 
For into life an entrance 
They by his grace will gain. 

He comes to bless the living, 
To * * write on them His narne" 
And health with joy receiving 
In an immortal frame. 

The poor and cast-out calling 
Upon His name, shall know 
His strength is never wanting 
To save the meek and low. 

He'll quell the pride of scorners, 
Remove oppression's wrongs; 
He'll cheer the hearts of mourners 
And change their tears to songs. 

Then nations will assemble, 

And crowd His house of prayer, 

In praise their voices mingle. 

For Christ, *'the Lord is there," (Ez. 48, 35). 

In the foregoing section, it has been shown that it 
is by heirship Jesus Christ holds the right to do- 
minion and posession of the Kingdom of God. From 
God as his only begotten Son. From Abraham and 
David as their lineal Son. 

Jesus combines all rights to whatever is included 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 53 

in the covenants. And His brethren are made joint- 
heirs to whatever promises rest on these covenants. 

Cognate to being heirs of God's Kingdom, is that 
of being '' heirs of Salvation/' The writer will here 
reproduce an article of his from the Christadelphian 
Advocate, (May 1885). So the reader will please 
xcase some repitition, as unavoidable in an entire 
eprint of correllated subjects. 



HEIRS OF SALVATION, 



V 



What a privileged condition ! What a glorious in- 
heritance is implied by the w^ord salvation! Yes, 
salvation is something to be inherited, (Heb. 1, 14). 
Salvation abstractly means ^' safety, soundness/' — 
Dr. Robert Young's Concordance. In Acts 27, 34, 
the word generally translated '^ salvation " is ren- 
dered " health." 

The vague and undefined ideas that religious peo- 
ple generally entertain of salvation, requires attention 
and sober thought, lest w^e be found sowing to the 
wind. It is the privilege of all seeking salvation to 
know what salvation is. 

The writer appreciates the importance of the sub- 
ject and is concerned about the well-being of man 
hereafter, but from a careful study of the '^ word of 
life" he has a thorough conviction that the masses of 
religious people do not, and cannot believe in Christ 
Jesus. You may be astonished at this, but calmly 
consider what the subject is. What is Salvation? 
One will say it is justification — the forgiveness of 
sins ; to be saved from our sins, etc. This cannot be 
correct, for Paul does not say that salvation is in our 
present experience, but to the Romans he wrote, ^' it 
(salvation) is nearer than when we believed," (Rom. 



54 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

13^ 11). Shewing that it was approaching, bat not a 
present blessing. Salvation is not at the beginning 
of the course — it is the prize at the end. 

Others hold stiffly, that salvation is the reward of 
the rio:hteoLis in Pleaven. This view is wide of the 
truth, for we read salvation is to be^^ revealed in the 
last time, (1 Peter, 1, 5), it is " the grace that is to be 
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 
(1 Peter, 1, IH), it is something to come with the com- 
ing kingdom of God, (Kev. 12, 10). Christ is not 
salvation to any until he re-appears bringing salvation 
with him, to them, that wait for him, (Heb. 9, 28 , 
Isa. 25, 9). '' And it shall be said in that day : Lo ! 
this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will 
save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him; we 
will be glad and rejoice in his salvation/' Christ will 
^^ appear a second time without sin unto salvation ;'' 
that is, to bring about or bestow upon the *• heirs'' 
the ^* salvation " promised. It is seen by the testi- 
mony that the foregoing views on salvation are un- 
scriptural and therefore misleading. 

The believer can rejoice in the forgiveness of sins 
and be thankful that by obedience to the faith he has 
been adopted into the family of God, but with all 
this, he is only an heir of salvation. This makes it 
interesting and important to know what is it we are 
heirs of? Of salvation as stated, but what is that, or 
where is it ? Paul endured all things for the elect's 
sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in 
Christ Jesus, with eternal glory, (2 Tim., 2, 10)* 
This salvation in Christ is a quality of being that re- 
lates to life, for Paul adds to it thus : '' For if we be 
dead with him, we shall also live with him, (verse 11). 

In being ''in him" and we ^4iving with him" de- 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 55 

siotes that salvation will proceed from him, we shall 
thereby live with him and so are ^'joint-heirs with 
Christ/^ Heirship denotes the prospective possession 
or share in that held by a proprietor. The Father 
of all blessings is the author, with him is strength 
and salvation. He, however, has been pleased to 
meet iis in his son and has made him head over all 
to the eeclesia, even to make salvation by him, (1 
Thess., 5, 9), or ^4n him^\ This confines the subject 
then to Christ, so that believers are heirs of '^the sal- 
vation'^ that is in Christ, (2, Tim., 2, 10). '^For in 
his name is salvation/' (i^cts 4. 12), *'he is given for 
salvation unto all the ends of the earth,'' (Acts 13, 47) 
for He is the author and captain of our salvation, 
leading many sons unto glory — leadino: them into the 
same glorious state of being as himself To be made 
^'like him" is to be saved, — to be made sound in in- 
corruptibility — to be safe from the influence of time 
and corruption. 

This (sooteeria) safety, soundness,' health, is in 
Christ corporeally. The glory of the incorruptible 
<jrod, shines, is radiant from his immortal son, he 
holds it in treasure for the ^*heirs of salvation," so 
that he said encouragingly, ^^Behold I am alive for- 
evermore and have the keys of Hades and death," 
(Rev. 1, 18), and again, '^Heis able ^o ^at^e (or be sal- 
vation) unto the uttermost, seeing, He ever liveth to 
make intercession for them, (Heb. 7, 25). 

This salvation which is the climax of Christian 
hope, was ''first," or began to be spoken by the Lord, 
(Heb. 2, 3). Now we can get at the pivot of truth, 
for whatever be the salvation that we are ''heirs" of 
- — it was spoken by the Lord Jesus, at the ^^first" or 
beginning of his mission. So we will turn to Him 



56 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

for light on the salvation he spoke of. He says : '^My 
doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me/^ (John 7^ 
16). ^'The Father gave me a commandment what I 
should say, and what I should speak, and I know 
that his commandment is life everlasting/^ (John 
12, 49, 50). ''For the bread of God is he which com- 
eth down from heaven and giveth life unto the world/^ 
(John 6, 33). As the manna gave health, soundness,, 
safety, to the Jews in the wilderness and was a tem~ 
porary salvation from death, so he that mentally di- 
gests the Christ character, will be saved with "an ev- 
erlasting salvation^^ proceeding from Him, for it is 
written ''so he that eateth me, even he shall live by 
me',, (verse 57), "he that eateth of this bread shall 
live forever/' (verse J58). " Thou hast given him 
power over all flesh, that he should give eternal 
life to as many as thou hast given him, (John 
17, 2). "I am come that they might have life^ 
etc,'' (John 10^ 10). These passages with many 
others, prove that the salvation spoken by the Lord 
was the salvation of life, 

"For the son of man is not come to destroy men'^& 
lives but to save them," (Luke 9, 56). In teaching 
the Jews and contending with them, Jesus claims to 
have power to quicken the dead, even as the Father, 
— to have life in himself as the Father, and to impart 
that life to whom he w^ill, also to execute judgment^ 
(John 5, 20, 26). Then He adds, '^ these things I 
say that ye might be saved/^ (verse 34). So then to 
believe that Jesus has life "in himself and that the 
quickening power is in him, is to take hold of the 
first element of the salvation he spoke of, for he spoke 
tliese words that those believing might be saved. 

Therefore, if we liold anything that destroys the sal- 



NULLIFIED BY TKADITION. 57 

vation *' spoken by the Lord/' we are not likely ta 
be 'Mieirs^' of the things he spoke of. His salva- 
tion is oiFered as ^^ living bread'' to the hungry; as 
'Miving water" to thirsty; as ^^ strength " to the 
weak; as ^^rest " to the weary and heavy ladened ; as 
*' health " to the sick ; as '^ soundness" to the infirm, 
and as "■ life " to the dead. All His miracles are evi- 
dence of his salvation, that its object is to give sound- 
ness, safety and health, where before w^as weakness, de- 
cay, disease and death. His miracles were but tokens 
or tastes of the powers of the w^orld to come. They 
give us an idea of the ^^ great salvation," **that is to 
be revealed in the last time, (1 Peter 1, 5), when death 
wdll be swallowed up in victory," (Is. 25, 8). 

This salvation of life, spoken by the Lord is the 
one we are heirs of, it is the incorruptible inheritance 
reserved in Heaven, (incorruption is soundness, safety, 
being free from decay). It is the life hid with Christ 
in God, (Col. 3, 3) — the immortality — he brought 
to life through gospel," (2 Tim., 1,10). The only im- 
mortality Jesus brought to light is that which glows 
in his own glorious body. It is the only source 
whence it will radiate to ail the " heirs," or mem- 
bers of his body (the ecclesia); it is the only life that 
he spoke of to men, viz : that which was '' in himself." 
So on this point I conclude that as the promise ot 
the life which is in Christ Jesus, (2 Tim.. 1, 1), is 
the foundation of the gospel. So the salvation which 
is in Christ Jesus, (xlcts 4, 12), is the result of eter- 
nal life being infused into mortal beings producing an 
'' eternal salvation, (Heb. 5, 9), making them '^sound " 
in every atom of their being, and ^'safe" from the 
power of death. 

The 'Mieirs of salvation" then can rest in hope,, 



S8 THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 

knowing that ^' the life'' is in safe keeping, ix jesus ; 
bat when he appears and HIS life thrills the anxious 
throng, then shouts of salvation shall resound in the 
heights of Zion, (Isa. 51, 11), '^ for there He com- 
manded the blessing even life forevermore/' (Psa. 
133; 3). / He that belie veth this must be comforted 
in the prospect. But what of him that has an almost 
inborn belief in man's theory of immortality, viz: 
^^the immortality ol the soul?" He claims to be- 
lieve in what has been set forth in regard to Christ 
:and eternal life, but friend, you cannot believe what 
is set forth herein, no more than you can believe that 
2 and 2 make 5. 

You cannot believe as true two propositions that 
are mutually destructive, or doctrines that clash at 
•every point; you have to choose one or the other. To 
illustrate : Moses states that God formed man directly 
from the dust of the ground. Modern philosophy 
claims that man is evolved from the lower animals. 
iSTow it is clear that the two ideas cannot be true, it is 
just as clear that we cannot believe both, because we 
see that both are destructive of each other. So it is 
with salvation and eternal life, it is herein set forth 
;and according to the Scripture, that eternal life and 
salvation aee in Christ Jesus, (1 John, 5, 11 ; 2 
Tim., 2, 10). 

Now what is eternal life and salvation ? It is that 
which is now "in himself,'^ his ever-liying glo- 
rified NATURE. This he proposes to share with the 
^' joint heirs." If on the other hand it is claimed 
that man has immortality, i, e. a never dying soul, 
you claim for man a quality of being that the Scrip- 
tures apply only to Christ and God. If man is a 



NULLIFIED BY TRADITION. 59 

never dyin^ being, then he does not need life eternal 
from Christ, if he is immortal he is "safe'^ from the 
power of death, and the offer of immortality would be 
superfluous and useless. So you have to choose to be- 
lieve either that eternal life or immortality is treasured 
ttp IN Christ for us, or that man is now immortal, 
if the latter then you are an unbeliever in the life HE 
OFFERS for the life he offers is his own, (Rom. 5, 10). 

A thorough conviction of immortality in and through 
Christ wipes out any opinions on the immortal soul; 
this is the conviction of all who have studied the sub- 
ject, for you cannot believe in two immortalities, one 
in man's soul, the other in Christ, unless you would 
say that Christ's immortality is not for man ; then 
you w^ould belie the Scriptures which declare it is for 
man. " I give unto them eternal life and they shall 
never perish/' (John 10, 28). '* Eternal life" and 
'^ immortality/' are interchangeable terms ; the latter 
means not liable to death ; the former means living 
forever. One is a negative, the other a positive state- 
ment of the same thing. 

Choose now whom you will honor. Christ or man. 
If man, be admonished again, for you frustrate 'Hhe 
grace of God that bringeth sahation^^^ and disqualify 
yourself, as an ''heir of salvation," for heirship de- 
notes the partaking in future of what another has. 
True Christians seek that which Christ has to share, 
— immortal life, — a kingdom, — and glory, (Rom. 2, 
7; Rev. 3, 21), in the ages to come, (Eph. 2, 7.). 

For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people ; He 
will BEAUTIFY the meek with salvation, (Ps. 149, 4), 
when they are clothed upon, that mortality might be 
swallowed up of Life, (2 Cor., 5, 4). 



60 The Gospel of Christ Nullified by Tradition^ 



N 



Salvation, what a wondrous plan, 
Not purging sin, as with a rod ; 
But mercy, loS^e, to dying man, 
And blessing with the Life of God. 

Immortal Life, a gift by grace; 
Enriching all God's sons of faith : 
That Life we see in Jesus' face, 
A shining hope, to make men safe. 

Safe from corruption's work, on men> 
To make us strong. In health to glow 
With glory. LIFE u painless then. 
Salvation's gist, that LIEE to know, 

iVot^m&€r6, 1887. W. B, 



fl TABLE OF CONTRASTS. 



Showing the conflict between Gospel Truth, and spec- 
ulative traditions. 



The Gospel teaches the 
forgiveness of sins. 
Through faith, repentance 
and baptism — immersion. 



Which is nullified by 
the tradition of substitu- 
tion or payment of the 
sinners debt. And God's 
appointed way of seeking 
forgiveness, is subverted 
b y t h e inn ovation o f 
sprinkling. 



C h r i s t' s Doctrine of 
Eternal Life, w^hich is the 
saving of men by His life, 
by His immortality. 



Is nullified by the ti^a- 
dition of the souls immor- 
tality, which also makes 
the resurrection useless. 



The inheritance of the 
Kingdom of God by co- 
heirship with Christ, to 
royalty, glory and power 
in the ages to come, 
(Eph. 2, 7; Rom. 8, 17; 
Rev. 5, 10). 



Is nullified by the Soc- 
ratic tradition^ that souls 
at death " are received on 
high in a pure region 
which they inhabit,'' 
(Ancient Hist., v. 1, p. 
393), the modern Heaven 
going tradition borrowed 
from Pagan, Greece. 



R WARNING YOICE. 



Since this pamphlet was written, the following sig- 
nificant remarks were made by the eminent Dr. Cros- 
by. They deserve a place in this work for they show 
the extent of defection from apostolic simplicity and 
doctrine. He says : ^'Oftentimes he who fills the 
preacher's place has more oratory about him than re- 
ligion. Many ministers of undoubted ability descend 
to the level of expediency. 

''There were ministers who preached to tickle audi- 
ences. It w^as not hard to find the biggest church 
full of people who want to be amused. 

''Some churches were made up of fine music mid 
fine decorations and rich people. c„^-.t<ygp. 

^'Some call these churches prosperous. 

*'It is a lamentable fact that in many theological 
seminaries the Word of God is not taught. ^ "^ "^ 
In the seminary where we expect men are learning 
to build up Christ's Kingdom, they are cunningly being 
learned to make machinery for undermining the Scrip- 
tures'' — Howard Crosby, D. D., LL. D., president 
New York University, before Undenominational 
Conference, Philadelphia, reported in Philadelphia 
PRESS, Nov. 19, 1887, page 7, col. 1. 

It would be hard to find a more faithful witness 
against the modern tendency toward pleasure and the 
demand for tickling from the pulpit, which is a com- 
plete fulfillment of Paul's prediction of the last days^ 



A WARNING VOICE. 63. 

(see 2 Tim. 3, 1). He wrote: "' For the time will 
come wheuthey will not endure the sound doctrine; but, 
having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers 
after their own lusts, and will turn away their ea7\^ 
from the truth, and turn aside unto fables/' (Revieds 
Version, 2 Tim. 4, 3, 4). If men are to be SAVED 
they must have other teachers than anecdotal weavers 
and esoteric philosophers. 

Diligent students of God's Word alone hav^e the 
right to declare His statutes. 

Men enlightened and sanctified by the truth — such 
only are God\s ^' workmen/' (see 2 Tim., 2, 15). 

Since the clerical mind is largely imbued by Platon- 
ism, it is not surprising that D wight L. Moody, the 
far famed evangelist, says : ^^ To my mind this- 
precious doctrine of the return of the Lord to this- 
earth is taught in the New Testament as clearly as- 
any other doctrine is ; yet I was in the church fifteen 
or sixteen yecu^s before I ever heard a sermon on it.^^ 

Sermon — " The Blessed Hope,'' page 2, preached 
m Chicago Tabernacle, Jan. 5, 1877. 

''But let me tell you, the most of the spiritual men 
in the pulpit of Great Britian are firm in this faith, '^ 
(Ibid p. 8). 

'^ But in certain wealthy and fashionable churches^ 
where they have the form of godliness but deny the 
power thereof, just the state of things which Paul de- 
clares shall be in the last days — this doctrine is not 
preached or believed," (Ibid). 

'' We live in the day of Shams in religion, the- 
church is cold and formal, may God wake us up, and 
I know of no better way to do it than to get the 
church to looking for the return of our Lord." (Ibid}» 
** I have felt like working three times as hard ever 



64 A WARNING VOICE. 

since I came to understand t^at my Lord was coming 
back again, (Ibid). " His coming is not death; He 
is the resurrection and the life, when He sets up His 
Kingdom there is to be no death, but life FOR- 
EVERMORE/' (good for Moody),' (Ibid. p. 4). 

Now let Dr. Buck talk; Tell us Dr. what will 
the Saints do in the Kingdom ? '^ When and where 
is this GOVERNMENTAL association with Christ, 
^s the returned King to be realized ? Not "now in 
this time/^ (Mark 10, 30), but in the '^ palin-genesia^^^ 
{Matt. 19, 28), '^ when the Son of man shall sit in 
the throne of His glory,^^ (Ps. 2, 6), when the twelve 
apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the 
twelve tribes of Israel, (Bible Order of the Millen- 
nium, p 11, by Daniel Buck, D. D., member of the 
Genesee M. E. Conference). (Exactly so Dr.) 

The coming of Christ as King of the whole earth. 

The resurrection of the dead. 

The judgment to come. Eternal Life through 
Christ. The conjoint government of Christ and His 
immortalized brethern are Bible doctrines that will 
oot fit with Platoism. Therefore these great truths 
have sunk into comparitive desuetude. 

Platoism is the canker in the mouth of modern 
Christendom. It is the serpent's poison in the stream 
of Revelation. W. B. 



THE NEW HEMENS 



■AND- 



THE NEW EARTH 



** Behold, I create new heavens and a new 
EARTH ; and the former shall not be remembered, 
nor come into mind/' (Is. 65, 17). 

'^ For as the new heavens and the new earth, 
which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the 
Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain, 
(Is. 66, 22). 

^^ Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look 
for NEW HEAVENS and a NEW EARTH, wherein 
dwdleth righteousness,^^ (2 Pet., 3, 13). 

'' And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, 
for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed 
away, * * ^ (Rev. 21, 1) 

'* And He that sat upon the throne, said : Behold^ 
I make all things new,'' * * * ^^ WRITE: for these 
words a?'6 true and faithful,'' (Rev. 21, 5). 

The above passages involve a vast amount of prom- 
ised goodness to the Sons of God. 

But, doubtless, there are many who read and 
revere God's word, whose belief in a^^ home bevond 
the skies," prevents them from entertaining a scrip- 
tural faith and an intelligent exigesis of the foregoing 



66 THE NEW HEAVENS AND 

references. These passages doubtless have been and 
will continue to present insurmountable difficulties 
to those who attempt to apply them to Heaven, or 
to any sphere than this earth. 

It is with pleasure John Wesley is quoted on the 
*^ New Creation/^ corrobative of what is to be set 
forth herein. He says : ^* Very many commentators 
entertain a strange opinion, that this (Rev. 21, 5), re- 
lates only to the present state of things ; and gravely 
tell us, that the words are to be referred to the flour- 
ishing state of the church, which commenced after 
the heathen persecutions. Nay, some of them have 
discovered that all which the apostle speaks concern- 
ing the " New Heaven and the New Earth/' 
was fulfilled when Constantine the Great poured in 
riches and honors upon the Christians. What a 
miserable way is this of making void the tvhole Council 
of God, with regard to all that grand chain of 
events, in reference to His church, yea, and to all 
mankind, from the time that John was in Patmos,. 
unto the end of the world. Nay, the line of this 
prophecy reaches farther still; it does not end with the 
present world, but shows things that will come to pass 
when the world id no more,'' (Wesley's Sermons, vol. 
2, pp. 83). Then in showing that the term '^ New 
Heaven " cannot apply to the Deity's abode, he said : 
** We cannot think that this Heaven, (God's abode), 
will undergo any change, anymore than its great IN- 
HABITANT. Surely this palace of the Most 
High was the same from eternity, and will be, world 
without end. Only the inferior Heavens are liable 
to change," (Ibid). 

And Messers Jemaison, Faucett, Brown, in their 
critical commentary on Is. 65, 17, say: ^* As Caleb 



THE NEW EARTH. 67 

inherited the same land which his feet trod on, (Dent. 
1, 36 ; Josh, 14, 9), so Messiah and his saints shall 
inhabit the renovated earth which once they trod 
whilst defiled by the enemy, (Crit. Cora. pp. 503, S. S. 
Scranton & Co., Hartford, 1879.) 

The phrase, *^ New Heaven and Earth ^^ as found 
in Isaiah, Peter and John, includes all of man^s sur- 
roundings physically and morally. The dignitaries 
of a nation are in the Bible, said to be in ^^ heavenly 
places.^^ When they fall, they are said to '' fall from 
Heaven.'^ 

The Apostle Paul was sent by Jesus on this mission 
to bear His name before the Gentiles, and Kings and 
the children of Israel, (Acts 9, 15). This mission 
Paul speaks of thus: '*To the intent that now into the 
principalities and powers in heavenly places might 
be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of 
God, (Eph. 3, 10). This preaching produced a con- 
flict, so that the charge was made, * * * *' these all 
do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying, that 
there is another King, one Jesus,^^ (Acts 17, 7). 

The conflict raged for years and in later times he 
wrote of it : * "^ * We wrestle not against flesh and 
blood, but against principalities, against powders, 
against the rulers of the darkness, of this world, 
against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places, (mar- 
ginal reading, Eph. 6, 12). Some of the actual points 
of conflict are; Paul before the Jewish High Council, 
(Acts 23, 1-2); Paul meets the High Priest and 
the Elders before Governor Felix, (Acts 24, 1-3); 
then before Festus, (Acts 25); afterward before King 
Agrippa, (Acts 26, 1); and lastly before the highest 
regal authority on earth, Augustus Csesar, (Acts 25, 
12). And let it be to PauFs glory^ that while he 



68 THE NEW HEAYENS AND 

himself is a captive, he captures some of Caesar's 
household. All the saints salute you, (Phillipians), 
chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. (Phil. 4, 22). 

From this pleasant digression let us return : We 
have seen something of Paul's conflict with the 
power^s, in the political and Sacerdotal heaven. 

In harmony with the fact that the Sun '* rules the 
day^' and is the gvesit power of the visible Heavens, 
the statement occurs of the breaking up of regal 
glory and political power, as the untimely setting 
of the Sun. When the Jews were conquered and 
taken captives^ it is written of them : * * * Her 
Sun is gone down while it is yet day • * * * and the 
residue will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, 
(Jer. 15, 9). The eestoration of that people is 
the reverse of that ; their Sun will never again go 
down ; their Kingdom w^ill never be destroyed. Of 
Israel, it is said : '' The Lord shall be thine ever- 
lasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall 
BE ended." The reason for this is in the first part 
of the verse, viz : *' Thy Sun shall no more go down, 
neither shall thy Moon withdraw itself, (Is. 60, 20). 
Thy glory and power will be forever. When Kings 
come to naught, they fall from Heaven, for it is said 
of the KING of BABYLON : ^* How art thou 
fallen from Heaven ? O day star, son of the morn- 
ing, how art thou cut down to the ground ! which 
didst lay low the nations? (New Version). * * * 
Is this THE MAN that made the earth to tremble, 
that did shake kingdoms (by his wars) Is .14; com- 
pare verses 12 and 16, and verses 4, 22, 25. 

And when the Jews are taken captive and Jerusa- 
lem destroyed by the King of Babylon, Jeremiah la- 
ments. " How hath the Lord covered the daughter 



THE NEW EARTH. 69 

of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down 
from Heaven unto the Earth the beauty of Israel/' 
(Sam. 2, 1). Just so^ when Jesus as KING oi Kings 
is spoken of, He is said to be far above all princi- 
pality, and power, &c., (Eph. 1, 21). It must be ob- 
vious that exaltation to powder, rather than altitude 
is here denoted. 

The word Heaven as used in the Scriptures signi- 
fies both altitude and power. Therefore the phrase 
^* New Heaven and Earth ^' comprises the power as 
well as the locality of the distribution of that power. 
It is true^ the power to produce such a stupendous 
change is from Heaven, therefore the power is itself 
heavenly, whether this power is manifested in man^s 
physical surroundings, or in the potency of moral 
laws of the divine code. It is above man in mag- 
nitude and perfection, and controls him from the 
** Heavens and the earth,^' or wherever the power is- 
sues. Of the present, '' the Heavens and the Earth,'' 
considered as the earth and its atmosphere, rules the 
physical life of man and all inferior beings. Thus 
man is governed physically by laws above him, over 
which he has no control, the natural laws of the 
^^ Heavens and Earth/' 

The Heavens and Earth considered as the govern- 
ment of man, controls HUMAN life morally and so- 
cially, 

Man individually is ruled by the aggregative man. 
The consensus of this collective man, on morality and 
social order, expressed in statutes, is law. 

Individual man is therefore the subject of a two-fold 
government, viz : the physical and political ^' Heav- 
ens and Earth," and those two systems are each sub- 
divided — the earth and its atmosphere on one hand, 



70 THE NEW HEAVENS AND 

the officers of the Law and the community on the 
other. It takes the solid elements of the earth and 
the gaseous combination of the atmosphere together 
to produce the phenomena of nature, whereby the 
physical life of man is controlled and his destiny 
fixed. Similarly it takes " the voice of the people ^' 
and the wisdom of " legislative bodies'' combined in 
concertive action, to produce moral life and social 
order. 

Thus we see the terms ^'Heavens and Earth '' is 
very significant of man's surroundings, as to law and 
order, physically and morally. 

He is environed by the " Heavens and Earth," 
which are now, (2 Pet., 3, 7). He cannot get away 
from these two phases of Law. 

The only hope of permanent good to man is in the 
creation of New Heavens and Earth Avherein 
dwelleth righteousness " and immortality. Or such a 
radical change in the moral and ^physical environment 
of men, that it would amount to a '^ regeneration^^ 
(Matt. 19, 28), and be comparatively a New World. 

It must be noticed first that the promise of a *'* New 
Heaven and Earth " arises in connection with the 
restoration of the Jews nationally and is inseparable 
from it. It is the work of Christ relative to the Jews. 
So that, if '' the casting away of them be the recon- 
ciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them 

be, but LIFE FROM THE DEAD," (Rom. 11, 15). 

God speaks concerning Christ and the Jews, thus: 
In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day 
of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve 
thee and give thee for a covenant of the people to es- 
tablish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heri- 
tages, (Is. 49, 8). That this refers to Christ is plainly 



THE NEW EARTH. 71 

indicated by verse G. '^ It is a light thing that thou 
shouldst by my servant to raise up the tribes of 
Jacob and to restore the desolations of Israel, (Margin). 
I will also give thee (Jesus) for a light to the Gentiles, 
that thou mayst by my salvation unto the end of the 
earth,'' (Is. 49, 6,*^ compare Acts 13, 47). The first 
mention of New Heaven and Earth is in a promise 
to Israel : '^ For behold I create New Heavens and 
a New Earth ; ^' "^ for behold I create Jerusalem a 
rejoicing and her people a joy ; and I will rejoice in 
Jerusalem and joy in my people,'' (Is. 65, 17-19). 
This great work of restoration is the planting of the 
Heavens and laying the foundations of the New^ 
Earth, for it is written : ''I have put my words 
in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shad- 
ow of mine hand, that I may plant the Heav- 
ens AND LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EaRTH, 

and say unto ZiON, Thou art my people, (Is. 51, 16). 
In view of this, the prophet, full of spirit, addresses 
nature, calling it to song : Sing, O Heavens, and be 
joyful, O Earth, and break forth into singing, O 
Mountains, for the Lord has comforted His people, 
and will have mercy upon his afflicted. * ^ ^^ Behold 
I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands ; 
thy walls are continually before me," (Is. 49, 13 and 
16). And all believers of this truth are addressed 
thus : '' Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad loith 
her. All ye that loye her, rejoice for joy 
with her, all ye that mourn for her, * * ^ that ye may 
milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of 
her glory. For thus saith the Lord : Behold I will 
extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the 
Gentiles like a flow^ing stream, (Is. 6Q^ 10-12). 
This is the commencement of the new Heavens and 



72 THE NEW HEAVENS AND 

Earth, that is to remain before the Lord, (verse 22)^ 
So also will the restored and saved seed of Israel 
REMAIN, (Ibid). " Therefore thy gate shall be opened 
continually ; they shall not be shut day nor night, 
that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the Gen- 
tiles, and that their Kings may be brought.'^ * "^ 
The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come 
bending unto thee, and all they that dispised thee 
shall bow doicn at the soles of thy feet, and they shall 
call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of 
the Holy One (Jesus) of Israel/' (Is 60, 11 and 14). 

O Gentile ! would you not rejoice to be one of" 
those '^ that love her '^ in that day, and to be counted 
as if born in Zion ! " And of Zion it shall be said r. 
this and that man [son of faith] was born in her ; 
and the Highest himself shall establish her, the Lord 
shall count, when he writeth up the people that this 
man [son of faith] was bo^'n there, (Ps. 87, 5, 6). 
Gentiles who are *' Jews inwardly in the heart and 
spirit/' by faith in Jesus and the prophets, (see Eom. 
2j 29). Truly this is the word of Jehovah concern- 
ing '^ the Xew Heavens and the Xew Earth '' wherein 
dwelleth righteousness which Peter lookal for accord- 
ing to promise in Isaiah. 

First the hills and valleys of Judea shall be made 
glad with the presence of a returned and then right- 
eous people, who will have for "ministers'' the risen 
and glorified saints of the past, clad in the beautt 
of salvation, (Ps. 149^ 4) — in resplendant immortality. 
Then thev will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom 
of their Father, (Matt. 13, 43). 

And as a morning without clouds, the Son of" 
Righteousness will rise with healing in his beams to 
other lands, for 



THE NEW EARTH. 75 

• "The l3eams that shines from Zion'* hill, 
' ' Shall lighten every land ; 
"The King that reigns in Salem's towers, 
•*Will all the world command. 

Then, *^ O let the nations l)e glad and sing for joy r 
for thou shalt judge the |)eople righteously andgoverji 
the nations upon earth. * ^ ^ Then shall the 
EARTH yield her increase ; and God, even our own 
God, shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth 
shall fear Him, (Ps. 67, 4, 6, 7). Then nature, re- 
sponsive to the efforts of obedient, righteous inaUy 
will deck herself in heautv, and enlaro^e herself in 
fndtfulness; for 

**Lo, in the desert rich flowers are springing 
"Streams ever copious are gliding along ; 
"Loud from the mountain-tops echoes are ringing; 
"Wastes rise in vendure, and mingle in song. 
* * See, from all lands, from the ides of Hie oc€an, 
"Praise to Jehovah ascending on high; 
"Fall'n are the engines of war and commotion, 
"Shouts of SALVATION are rending the sky. 

The formerly thirsty mountains, arid plains and 
parcheil de-erts, shall drink freely of the blessings ot" 
Heaven, the early and latter rain will fall in due 
season, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with 
water, (Joel 3, 18). 

Resulting from this the earth will send forth a fra- 
grant vegetation and flowers of beauty, whose per- 
fume will rise in beautiful unison with the even- 
ing praise of a righteous people, for all will be 
righteous, (Is. 60, 21), and will serve the Lord with 
one consent, (Zeph. 3, 9). *' The inhabitants of one 
city shall go to another, saying: Let us go speedily 
to pray bejore the Lord, and to seek the Lord of 
Hosts. I will go, also ! Yea, many people and 
strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts 



74 THE NEW HEAVENS AND 

in JERUSALEM, and to pray before the Lord/^ 
(Zeck. 8, 21-22). 

For then the glory of God will shine out in 
nature^s fullness of blessing, and in man, righteous- 
ness, thank^iving and praise, will reflect the glory 
of God in the moral and physical salvation of the 
once misguided being. In that day, ^^the pure in 
heart shall see God,^' (Matt. 5, 8), m the person of 
Jesus, for he ** will come in the glory of the Father/' 
and they, like Jesus, will be made full of joy with his 
countenance, (Acts, 2, 28). 

In that day the Eternal Father will raise his 
living TEMPLE, gorgeous witii all the glory of the 
divine nature, (2 Pet., 1, 4). Living stones, (1 Pet., 

2, 5), glittering with immortality. 

Pillars in the Temple of Deity never to go out, (Rev. 

3, 12). This is the dwelling of the Eternal Father. 
The ^* Father's House '' of many mansions, pre- 
paring now, to be raised when Jesus comes again to 
his people. John heard a voice from Heaven declare 
this truth. Behold the TABERNACLE OF GOD 
:[or Father's House] is with men, and He will dwell 
toith them, and they shall be His people, and God 
Himself shall be with them and be their God, (Rev. 
21 , 3). Such is the consummate state [' of the House- 
hold of God," (Eph. 2, 19), * ^ "" " For the Tem- 
ple of God is HOLY, which Temple ye are," (1 Cor. 
3,17). 

From a very early period, God declared his pur- 
pose to fill the earth with his glory, and swore by 
himself to emphasize and assure it. "' As truly as 1 
live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the 
Lord," (Num. 14, 21). It was not clear at the time 
Jiow such a great event was to be brought about ; but 



THE NEW EARTH. 75 

that it was to be in connection with man, is inferred 
from the fact that man's unbelief of His promises is 
what called ont the above words of Jehovah. 

In later times it was gradually revealed through 
many inspired men. A class of men b^gan to be 
spoken of as having, by promise, special privileges, 
power and constitution, a selected company qualified 
by years, faith J probity and holiness, to wear the glory 
of God and to administer the powers of the world to 
come, of which many of them tasted when alive, see 
(Heb. 6, 5). The designations of this class of 
worthies, show their character and office in the ages 
to come ; they are called '^His Saints/' (Ps. 149, 9). 
^^ Ancients,'' (Is. 24, 23): "Ministers of^our 
God," (Is. 61, 6) ; " Saints of the Most High 
God," (Dan. 7, 18); "Elders," (Rev. 5, 8); 
^'Pastors," (Jer. 3, 15); Kings and Priests," 
(Rev. 5, 10), aggregately a "spiritual house, an holy 
priesthood," (1 Peter, 2, 5). 

They are the Tabernacle of Deity's Glory, in and 
through which He will manifest His name and power 
to the world of nations. They are then the "Heavens," 
through which the great SUX of Righteousness 
will shine with healing to the world, causing truth 
and righteousness to burst forth as the morning, bless- 
ing man in every field of noble industry. "' The 
Saints," themselves living types of "the beauty of 
holiness," a veritable Heavenly " House," the habi- 
tation of God through the Spirit, (Eph. 2, 22). 

But there will be another temple for the nations 
of the earth. Jesus called it also, " My Father's 
House," He said : " Take these things hence ! make 
not my Father^s House an house of merchandise, 
(John 2, 16). 



76 THE NEW HEAVENS AND 

*^ He taught tljein, saying unto them. Is it not 
written, My House shall be an house of prayer for 
all nations '1^' (Mark 11, 17, Margin). 

So there is a grand future for the restored Temple 
of the Lord, an house of prayer for all nations. In 
this the glory of the Lord will be seen, (Ez. 44, 4). 
Eut in the living temple the glory will be enjoyed 
and icorn as a priestly robe of beauty. 

Therefore in the millenial state of the New Heav- 
ens and Earth there w^ill be the perfect state repre- 
sented by the immortal saints in glory — ^the living tem- 
ple ; also the not yet perfect state represented by the 
temple as a ^' house of prayer ^^ for all nations. 

The term '^ house of prayer,^^ denotes imperfection^ 
weakness, a city of refuge for mortals. TJirough it 
however is the only road to perfection in the age 
to come ; it is a stepping stone to the divine nature. 
So the New Heaven and the New Earth comprises 
all that is perfect, and all that is needed to lead earth's 
millions to glory and to God. And so become one 
Stupendous Temple of Deity, that " HE may be all 
IN ALL/' 

*We see in Heaven and Earth the framework 

' Of thy glorious Jiouse of love and joy and praise; 

* And we are content to wait the working of Thy will ; 
'Even Avith joy we bear the sorrow of the appointed hour 
'We see with resignation evil reign; 

*Thy majesty profaned o'er all the earth; 

' Thy law down-trodden, Thy Love despised; 

'Thy name cast out is idle; because Thou hast declared 

'The counsel of Thine own eternal will 

* That in the coming ages Thou wilt show 
' The richness of Thy favor in all blessing, 
' To those who in these times of bitterness 

' Regard Thy name, perform Thy will, and wait Thy promises, 
' Whom for the present Thou hast made 

* Subject to evil for a needed lesson. 



THE NEW EAKTH. 77 

* Mine eyes look forward to this hastening time 
*And see the earth a house of glory, 

* Resonant with Thy praise, resplendent with Thy beauty, 

* Triumphant in Thine everlasting joy, 

-* The Jiabitation of Thy rescued sons of sorrow, 

* Who through tribulation passed, 

* In many years of chastening and of death — 

* Are then sprung iorih.from dust, and clothed 

* With honor, glory, immortality^ 

* Thou hast not made the earth in vain ; 

* To be inhabited. Thou hast designed it. 

* And in the glorious day of consummated purpose, 
*The wide realm of endless Heaven will join 

* With earth in joyful celebration, 

*■ To Thine everlasting praise. 

(From Psalms by a Mourner in Israel, Christadel- 
phian, pp. 10, Jan., 1874). 

WAITING FOR THE CHRIST. 

W. BRITTLE. 







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